What Position are the 49ers Lacking at the Most?
The 49ers solidified a lot of positions this offseason.
They found their franchise quarterback in Trey Lace, beefed up their interior offensive line, and even locked up the running back spot for years to come. However, there is still one specific area that is the Achilles heel of the 49ers.
What position are the 49ers lacking at the most?
Cornerback.
It doesn't take too much brainpower to figure that one out. As it stands, the starting corners for the 49ers are Jason Verrett, K'Waun Williams, and Emmanuel Moseley. Not too shabby of a starting trio at cornerback, but there are certainly concerns.
For starters, all three of these players have been dealt injuries the last two years. They are not really the most comfortable players to roll out without fear of injury. Once that happens, where will the 49ers look towards? Ambry Thomas and Deommodore Lenoir are there for depth purposes. Rolling them out due to injury is not ideal for the 49ers. These two players are better suited to be brought along slowly, not thrown into the fire if someone is injured.
That someone who gets injured is likely Verrett. Even though he demonstrated his return to a high level in 2020, he still showed that he consistently sustains injuries. He started out 2020 that way. As great of a player he is, once he falls, the 49ers will be begging offenses to pick them apart. It doesn't matter if the pass rush is strong if the corners cannot hold up.
This is why Richard Sherman being rumored to return to the 49ers is a thing. They know they are unfit at the position and need another proven player. However, Sherman is at the end of his rope. He can't really hold up in coverage anymore. Not to mention he also adds to the group of injury prone players, so adding him doesn't really increase the quality of the position.
Even if the 49ers looked elsewhere with free agents, there isn't much out there. Cornerback is going to need to be an area where the 49ers emphasize development. They need Thomas and Lenoir to reach an adequate level. Not immediately, but hopefully as mid-season starts to pass. It is definitely a large demand of them and creates a ton of pressure. However, these two players have the mettle to meet that demand.
Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans will have to have something brewing up his sleeve to make up for the lacking cornerback position. Expect a more aggressive defense out of the 49ers this upcoming season.
