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Cornerback is a position that the 49ers were significantly inept at this time last year in the offseason. Surprisingly enough, they were quite the strong group in 2019 and it wasn't because of any additions they made. However, the 49ers will need to start planning for the future and even find a who is a capable backup.

Despite having a stellar season, Richard Sherman is not getting any younger. And outside of Emmanuel Moseley, there isn't a real backup at cornerback on the outside. Ahkello Witherspoon proved to be a severe liability out there and is set to become a free agent following 2020. 

While the position is still relatively strong, the 49ers need to address it this offseason and it all starts with free agency. Because of their limited salary cap space, looking at a star player is out of the question. The San Francisco 49ers will need to target players who they can sign to cheap deals. A low-risk, high-reward type of contract. 

Here are three cost effective options for the 49ers to consider at cornerback.

Aaron Colvin

At one point in his career, Aaron Colvin was an exceptional cornerback. He was drafted in the fourth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 where his career was at his peak. When it was time for him to hit free agency, Colvin cashed in on his reputable performance by signing a four-year, $34 million contract. A contract that the Texans would soon regret.

Houston would release Colvin shortly after their 2019 week one loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Washington Redskins would then pick up Colvin for the rest of the season, but he was essentially a ghost. From feeling like he was one of the best, to being an expendable piece. Colvin is a player that will need to take on a "prove it" deal in 2020. He is still relatively young at 28-years old, so a rebound year would exponentially benefit him.

That is why he makes sense for the 49ers to target. He would be a low-cost signing with a potential to be a high-reward for the Niners. This is the type of corner the 49ers have sought out every offseason. A player that needs a change of scenery to get their career back on track. Last season it was Jason Verrett, and before that it was Richard Sherman. Could Aaron Colvin be another player added to the list?

Aqib Talib

Now I know what you might be thinking in regards to the 49ers targeting Aqib Talib. He's way too old for them to inquire about and way too injury prone. But these are the players the 49ers will have to consider this offseason with their limited salary cap space. Talib is a player that could be had on a team friendly deal. Signing with the Niners could also be enticing for him because of the championship opportunity.

That is basically what he will have to settle for because those lucrative deals he was used to are a thing of the past. It's what gives the 49ers leverage in offering a small sum to counteract his age. The next step would be to counteract his injury frequency, which is relatively easy. Talib, or any other cornerback for that matter, is not going to be signed to take the starting role on the outside.

Emmanuel Moseley and Richard Sherman have that on lock as well as K'Waun Williams in the slot. Talib would be signed for rotational or depth purposes. That will significantly lower his heavy workload that he is so accustomed to as a starter. Perhaps that, along with playing for a contender, will convince him to sign on.

Ronald Darby

To circle back to my lasting point with Aaron Colvin, the 49ers have sought out a cornerback that they hope can resurrect their career. If Colvin isn't their ideal player, then perhaps Ronald Darby is. Darby fits the mold perfectly of how the 49ers have added corners in the last two years. Sherman was signed following a torn achilles and Jason Verrett was constantly plagued by injuries.

Signing Darby would be such a typical move by the 49ers and is the likeliest of the three players they could target. With Darby, I envision a scenario where he is the median of Sherman and Verrett. One player maximized his value, while the other was completely shot. Darby could be in the middle of a solid role player. Remember, he would not be signed to be a starting cornerback. 

It is more so for depth in case someone is injured and rotational value. The best part of all is that he is only 26-years old, which actually acts as a double edged sword. It is great that he is young, but scary that he is always on the injured side. But that is where playing as a backup could help decrease the chances he sustains injury. Darby to the 49ers could be a fantastic signing despite his poor 2019, which Pro Football Focus calls it as an outlier.