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49ers 53-man roster predictions ahead of first preseason game vs. Packers

By Robert Morrison

Jan 19, 2020; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive back Emmanuel Moseley (41) reacts after intercepting a pass against the Green Bay Packers during the first half in the NFC Championship Game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 19, 2020; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive back Emmanuel Moseley (41) reacts after intercepting a pass against the Green Bay Packers during the first half in the NFC Championship Game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Charvarius Ward, San Francisco 49ers, 49ers training camp
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (35) Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports /

49ers Cornerbacks (6)

CB Charvarius Ward

CB Emmanuel Moseley

CB Darqueze Dennard

CB Ambry Thomas

CB Samuel Womack

CB Deommodore Lenoir

Wild card: CB Jason Verrett

PS: CB Tariq Castro-Fields, CB/S Dontae Johnson

From one of the weakest positions on San Francisco’s defense to one of the deepest, the cornerback room looks to make the defense one of the better units in the NFL.

That is primarily down to the addition of Charvarius Ward from the Kansas City Chiefs, who turned out to be the 49ers’ big free-agent splash this offseason. At this juncture, it looks like he’ll slide next to Emmanuel Moseley as the team’s starter at outside cornerback, with Ambry Thomas and Deommodore Lenoir serving as their backups.

At the moment.

That final statement comes because of the wild card for the entire group: whether Jason Verrett can come back from yet another injury setback and become a key contributor to this team.

When he was healthy two years ago, Verrett was a lockdown outside cornerback, but he missed all of last year after suffering an ACL tear in Week 1 against the Lions. If he can get back to his old self, then he provides the Niners with a lot of versatility, as Kyle Shanahan has already noted that Verrett could be an option in the slot.

Speaking of the slot, if Verrett isn’t an option, then the competition is down to veteran Darqueze Dennard and rookie Samuel Womack, a fifth-round pick out of Toldeo, who has a very similar athletic profile to former Niners slot corner, K’Waun Williams.

That battle, and whether Verrett can get back to full health, will be of great intrigue throughout the preseason.

As for the practice squad, another rookie, Tariq Castro-Fields, a sixth-round pick out of Penn State, is someone the team will want to keep around even if he doesn’t make the final roster. And, of course, there is the ever-present Dontae Johnson, who has featured some at safety in training camp and is most certainly a player the team will try to keep around for 2022.