The 49ers’ 90-man roster has taken shape, and camp battles are already developing on paper with organized team activities due to open May 20.
Some positions won’t have a lot of competition. Jimmy Garoppolo is locked in at the top of the depth chart. So are players like George Kittle and Dee Ford. Other spots will have a ton of competition based on the personnel on the roster going into OTAs. This is our seven-part series on the biggest roster battles we’ll have an eye on throughout the offseason
Perhaps the biggest and most important battle that’ll take place over the course of the offseason is at starting cornerback. The 49ers had arguably the NFL’s worst pass defense last season, and didn’t make many changes at cornerback.
Instead, the front office and coaching staff will rely on competition at the position to elevate the untapped potential they believe resides on the roster.
The contenders
Richard Sherman – Year 9
Ahkello Witherspoon – Year 3
Tarvarius Moore – Year 2
Jason Verrett – Year 6
Tim Harris – Rookie
The low-down
Sherman is likely a lock to start on one side, so the battle really comes down to the other four players and the starting job opposite him. Witherspoon had an up-and-down 2018 after a promising rookie campaign, but came on especially strong at the end of the year before a knee injury in Week 15 knocked him out for the final two games.
Moore is in his second year at corner after making a transition from safety in college. He replaced Witherspoon late last year and showed flashes, but was understandably inconsistent. It stands to reason he’ll make a jump just by virtue of having a full offseason to hone his cornerback skills.
Verrett and Harris are the two big wild cards. Verrett was a first-round pick of the Chargers in 2014, but was limited to only 25 games across five seasons. He was a Pro Bowler in his only full season, and it’s conceivable that he’s the best cornerback on the roster if he is healthy. Harris, a 2019 sixth-round pick from Virginia, had similar injury issues in college. He was very good in his 2018 season though and a highly-touted recruit out of high school. His size and athleticism check the boxes the 49ers typically look for in a defensive back.
The prediction
It’s safe to pencil Sherman in at the top of the depth chart. If everyone is healthy, Verrett probably wins the job. However, it wouldn’t be wise to rely on an oft-injured cornerback coming off an Achilles injury. The player who should benefit most from the competition and another year in the league is Witherspoon. He had a very good rookie campaign, and then was reaching that level again when he got hurt. If he picks up where he left off last season, combined with an improved pass rush to make coverage easier, Witherspoon should win the starting job across from Sherman.
