Report: 49ers re-sign cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Dontae Johnson
The 49ers re-signed two veteran cornerbacks for decidedly different reasons on Monday.
The 49ers gave both Dontae Johnson and Jason Verrett one-year contracts. Both are 28-years-old, and both played for the 49ers last season.
Johnson is a journeyman. He has been on the 49ers three times -- they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. He also has played for the Seahawks, Bills, Cardinals, Chiefs and Chargers. But he hasn’t started a game at cornerback since 2017. He primarily plays special teams.
Verrett is a former Pro Bowl cornerback and first-round pick. The Chargers drafted him in 2014, and by 2015 he had established himself as an elite cornerback. But since then, he has torn his ACL and Achilles, and has played just six games the past four seasons.
Last year, the 49ers signed Verrett to compete with Ahkello Witherspoon for the starting cornerback job opposite Richard Sherman. But the competition never materialized, because Verrett missed most of training camp with a sprained ankle. And Witherspoon played well in camp. So he won the job.
But Witherspoon injured his foot Week 3 against the Steelers. The 49ers put Verrett in the game, and the Steelers attacked him immediately with two throws down the field.
On the first throw, Verrett committed a 32-yard pass-interference penalty. On the second throw, he gave up a 37-yard touchdown catch to rookie Diontae Johnson. And then the 49ers benched Verrett, and that was the end of his season. The 49ers eventually placed him on the Injured Reserve List with a knee injury.
Now Verrett gets another shot to prove he can stay healthy, even if it’s a long shot.
By signing Verrett and Johnson, the 49ers revealed just how much they need quality cornerbacks.
Sherman is 32 and will be a free agent in 2021. Witherspoon also will be a free agent after next season, and has struggled since the 49ers drafted him in 2017. Emmanuel Moseley is a former undrafted free agent who has started just nine games in the NFL. D.J. Reed is a backup who rarely plays. Johnson is a journeyman. And Verrett is injury prone. Cornerback is the 49ers’ biggest need.
Don’t be surprised if the 49ers take another cornerback (or two) in the upcoming draft.
