Why the 49ers Don't Need to Sign a Cornerback

It doesn't make any sense for the 49ers to sign a cornerback despite the position being a variable.

December 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Renardo Green (0) deflects the football intended for Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) in the endzone during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

One of the many variables on the San Francisco 49ers' roster is the cornerback position.

Deommodore Lenoir is the only constant they have there. Renardo Green showed a lot of promise last year as a rookie, but there's no guarantee he will build upon that.

Beyond those two, the position is a giant mystery, with it likely leaning towards it not panning out. To mitigate that risk, the 49ers could sign a cornerback.

My editor, Grant Cohn, has recommended that the 49ers sign former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr..

The 49ers were also reportedly interested in former Las Vegas Raiders corner Damon Arnette before he signed with the Houston Texans.

So, the 49ers do consider cornerback a position that needs an addition. However, the 49ers don't need to sign a cornerback despite all of that.

They are better off seeing what they have in Upton Stout and Darrell Luter Jr. than anyone else they can sign as a free agent. The free agent cornerbacks available are extremely unattractive.

Don't just take my word for it. The 49ers believe so as well. The fact that they were interested in Arnette, who hasn't played since 2021, is a testament to that.

The cornerback market, for lack of a better word, stinks. And yes, that includes Samuel Jr., who the 49ers should avoid because he's an injury concern and plays soft.

The only corner I could foresee the 49ers targeting is Stephon Gilmore, and that's only after seeing what they have right now in training camp and the preseason.

Even then, Gilmore might not join the 49ers because they aren't Super Bowl contenders. I'd guess he'd favor a team that has a path to the Super Bowl and a better defense.

Cornerback is a position on the 49ers that can use an addition, but it's pointless to add a player for the sake of adding. It has to make sense.

And there isn't a single free agent who the 49ers can target that will do it.