49ers are Being Careful With the Return of Jason Verrett

The 49ers are slow playing Jason Verrett into the fold, which is the right call. Caution and care need to be the priority toward integrating Verrett to ensure he is fully fit.

Jason Verrett has a chance to suit up for the 49ers this Sunday against the Falcons.

With Emmanuel Moseley out for the year with a torn ACL, the 49ers could really use a high-level cornerback to fill in the rest of the way. Verrett is the only player capable, at least a proven one, of that. 

However, the 49ers are in no rush with Verrett. The last time they did rush him was in 2019 when he stepped in for a few reps against the Steelers. Verrett gave up a big play touchdown and suffered a season-ending injury in limited action. He clearly was not ready yet. This time around, the 49ers are slow playing him and are correcting their past mistake.

"You have to test everything out to make sure he is ready," said Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday. "Not just that he's feeling good and says he is good and looking quick. You have to make sure you can go through all the routes, see everything in practice, stuff you figure out throughout training camp. But sometimes it's tough on just a card at practice, last year or in ‘19, we all felt like he was there and then he got in some situations where you could see he wasn't. So that's what we're trying to not do.” 

The 49ers cannot simulate everything from a game into practice, so at some point they will have to cross their fingers and hope he holds up fine. I would expect the 49ers to use the full three week allotment with Verrett before they fully activate him off Injured Reserve. 

Rolling him out against the Falcons feels too soon still, and giving him his first start against the Chiefs would be a coaching failure. By the time the Rams game comes around would be a good start. Cooper Kupp is the only player the 49ers ever have to watch out for. On top of that, Verrett could be thrown a pick by Matthew Stafford, which will only boost his confidence. 

After that game, the 49ers will head into their Bye week, which will be good recovery time for Verrett if he is feeling any soreness from his first game back. Being careful and cautious with Verrett is not only the best course of action, it is the only course to take. If they can get Verrett into his first start fully fit, then he has a chance to find or close to his 2020 form. 

And if he does, then the 49ers defense will once again have no weaknesses.