DEFENSIVE STARS ABOUT TO BECOME FREE AGENTS
Verrett, Williams, Witherspoon and Sherman could leave
Cornerbacks Jason Verrett, K’Waun Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon made for an astonishingly successful unit in the 49ers’ win Saturday at Arizona. How about in 2021?
All are under contract for just one more game — Sunday’s season finale against Seattle — before hitting unrestricted free agency in March, along with veteran leader Richard Sherman.
The 49ers (6-9) went into this season expecting big things from their cornerbacks. That proved to be especially daunting once pass rushers Nick Bosa and Dee Ford vanished after 1 1/2 games due to injuries.
Saturday, the cornerbacks — of the league’s fourth-ranked pass defense — raised their profile and market value from a 2012 win over the host Cardinals.
Sherman, meanwhile, missed his 10th game this season because of a calf injury, and he watched from a State Farm Stadium suite alongside injured quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Let’s look at deeper at the 49ers’ cornerback corps heading into Sunday’s season finale against the Seattle Seahawks: VERRETT’S COMEBACK >> Verrett boosted his stock more than any 49ers cornerback this season, perhaps more so than any of the team’s 40 free agents, with
plenty to be argued in favor of left tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and defensive end Kerry Hyder.
“Guys really believe in this guy and they know how much it means to him,” coach Kyle Shanahan said of Verrett. “That’s why I wanted him back here so bad.”
Verrett, in pushing past his dubious history of leg issues, has started 12 games this season. Before Saturday, his comeback was highlighted with an endzone interception in an Oct. 18 home win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Verrett topped that Saturday with suffocating coverage against DeAndre Hopkins. Verrett broke up a potential touchdown catch before halftime, and he kept the All-Pro receiver from grabbing the game’s final pass.
Verrett turns 30 in June, and with his injury history, he won’t command a huge contract. He obviously merits much more, however, than the one-year deals he got from the 49ers in 2019 ($3 million) and this year ($1.1 million).
“I’ve got a ton of respect for this organization, for allowing me to come back, show what I can do and believing in me,” Verrett said earlier this month. “It’s definitely a place I want to be but we’ve got to see where things go when the season is over.”
SHERMAN’S STATUS >> Conventional wisdom says the 49ers will have to keep either Verrett or Sherman. Sherman, who represents himself, spoke like an agent when he said this month it would take a miracle for the capstrapped 49ers to have enough
money for him and other teammates, such as Trent Williams, their highest-priced free agent.
Sherman, 32, missed nine games after the season opener with a calf injury that he’s said is not a chronic issue. But after a four-game return, he was inactive Saturday, and it’s unknown if he’ll return Sunday to face his former team, the Seahawks.
Sherman made a cameo at safety for select plays this month, and while that may be his final position before heading to Canton, the 49ers may pass and go forth with a safety tandem of Jimmie Ward and Tarvarius Moore.
WILLIAMS CASHES OUT? >> Williams has been a coach favorite, and the entire defense raves about his on-field persona, meriting the nickname “Shark.” He has more career sacks (five) than interceptions (three).
Williams is finishing strong, and he bounced back Saturday from a leg contusion to make a sudden sack in the second half. His tackling and coverage ability are required facets for a slot cornerback. “It would have been tough to win without him,” Shanahan said Saturday.
Injuries since training camp — calf, knee, hip, ankle — have limited Williams to about half this season’s games. That could keep his price down, although if defensive coordinator Robert Saleh lands a head coaching job, Williams will draw competitive offers. His backup, Jamar Taylor, excelled before tearing an ACL a month ago, spoiling his free agency stakes.
WITHERSPOON IMPROVES
>> Witherspoon is this season’s most improved 49er. He’s seized this last-chance opportunity to thrive as an injury replacement starter. But how much can a strong finish truly lead to his return?
He plummeted down the depth chart and into Shanahan’s doghouse in Week 4, when he balked at starting against the Eagles and came in only after Brian Allen got torched. Witherspoon responded by working harder in the weight room and on the scout team, returning to his coach’s good graces.
“I was hard on him at the beginning of this year, I thought for good reasons, and Ahkello didn’t really shy away from it,” Shanahan said. “Lost his job, lost his backup job, wasn’t able to dress for some special teams issues. What was really cool about it, once all that stuff happens, is how he reacted. He didn’t pout.”
A microcosm of Witherspoon’s resiliency came in a three-play span Saturday. He lost outside containment on a 30-yard run by Kyler Murray on fourthand-1, but, two snaps later, Witherspoon made an endzone interception with 4 1/2 minutes left to preserve the 49ers’ lead.
Witherspoon used his cerebral approach to make that pick, having learned from a first-series completion that he’d have time to track down a Murray lob if it came his way again. Hence, Witherspoon made the play when it counted most.
“This year it gave me time to really work on myself, get better and try to
get back to where I was before I was injured (in 2019),” Witherspoon said. “I was not worrying about being inactive or not starting.
“I’m really just thankful for the difficulties that this year came with, along with COVID and being away from family members. It’s been easy not to look at it as a challenge, because I still get to play football and do something I love.”
W it he r s p o on ( 2 017 third round) is the highest drafted cornerback under Shanahan; the only others are D. J. Reed (2018, fifth round, now on the Seahawks) and Tim Harris (2019, sixth round). OTHER OPTIONS >> Emmanuel Moseley went from be
ing a Super Bowl starter to a December reserve who’s battling a hamstring injury. Moseley started eight of the first 10 games this season, including a rough opener against the Cardinals’ Hopkins and his lone interception in a win at New England. He’s an exclusive rights free agent, so he’s almost sure to return.
A lso slated for free agency are Dontae Johnson and Ken Webster.
As for the draft, the 49ers likely pick around the same spot as last draft (they took defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at No. 14). They haven’t drafted an outside cornerback in the first round since Mike Rumph in 2002.