49ers lose preseason finale to Chargers, these looming questions remain
By Peter Panacy
49ers question No. 3: Nickel cornerback is officially a problem
The 49ers' previous two nickel cornerbacks, K'Waun Williams and Jimmie Ward, no longer don the red and gold.
Instead, the Niners signed former Atlanta Falcons corner Isaiah Oliver as a free agent this offseason and gave him $2.91 million in guaranteed money on his two-year deal.
Oliver, however, hasn't been good at all this preseason, and his efforts versus the Chargers raised only more questions instead of providing answers.
Isaiah Oliver went from projected starter in the off-season to still playing in the 4th quarter in the final preseason game. Not good at all
— Zachary Grier (@zgrier24) August 26, 2023
San Francisco does have alternatives, though. Other defensive backs like Deommodore Lenoir, Samuel Womack, Ambry Thomas, Qwuantrezz Knight and the undrafted rookie, D'Shawn Jamison, all have a shot to fill in that spot if Oliver completely flames out.
But that wasn't the original plan at all.