49ers roster: 3 players who should be promoted up from practice squad

49ers practice squad player No. 1: Defensive back Dontae Johnson

Ah, yes. The inevitability of veteran defensive back Dontae Johnson.

The Niners suffer a huge blow by losing Emmanuel Moseley for the rest of the year. While fellow cornerback Charvarius Ward has deservedly received the bulk of the credit for turning around San Francisco’s secondary this year, Moseley has been nearly as impressive.

It’ll be tough to make up for his absence.

Granted, the 49ers are eagerly anticipating the healthy return of veteran corner Jason Verrett, who has already missed the first five weeks of the season after recovering from last year’s ACL tear. Once Verrett is 100 percent, he’ll likely take over Moseley’s boundary spot.

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But the oft-injured defensive back might not be there just yet. So, in the interim, the Niners can do what they’ve seemingly always done.

Promote Johnson.

Johnson might not be anything prolific when it comes to a top contributor, but San Francisco trusts him in a number of different roles. Whether it’s on the boundary, lined up over the slot or even at safety, Johnson is both serviceable and versatile.

He’s also available right now to help bridge the gap between Moseley and Verrett.