Predicting who receives 49ers player awards for 2022 season
By Peter Panacy
49ers Comeback Player of the Year: Jason Verrett
It was tempting to put third-year defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw into this spot as San Francisco’s Comeback Player of the Year, following Kinlaw being shut down after four games in 2021 because of chronic knee issues.
With those surgically addressed, Kinlaw’s role this season is going to be awfully important, but he might not be the one whose bounce-back 2022 campaign turns the most heads.
No, in this prediction, that’ll go to the oft-injured yet high-performing-when-healthy cornerback, Jason Verrett.
Verrett’s season-ending ACL tear in Week 1 last season was a massive disappointment, especially after he enjoyed a Pro Bowl-worthy 2020 campaign in which he was mostly healthy. Considering that 2020 season was Verrett’s first healthy go at it since 2015, it was a massive shame he wasn’t able to enjoy back-to-back productive seasons.
Nevertheless, the 49ers took another low-risk chance by re-signing the veteran cornerback this offseason. And if he’s capable of staying healthy and avoiding injury, the Niners should have a solid one-two tandem at cornerback with Verrett playing alongside the offseason free-agent pickup, Charvarius Ward.
However, Verrett would rightfully secure a Comeback Player of the Year nod if he can be productive in 2022.