The 49ers solidified one cornerback spot — and possibly a future safety spot — with last offseason's signing of veteran Richard Sherman. The team thought it had a budding star in Ahkello Witherspoon, but an up and down 2018 campaign by the second-year player resulted in more questions than answers.
It's far too early to write off Witherspoon, who could still develop into a solid defender for the 49ers. Barnwell sounds confident in slot cornerback K'Waun Williams, but the opposite is true of Witherspoon, who ended his season with a sprained posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
The ESPN writer feels rookie Tarvarius Moore, at times, looked like ... well, a rookie.
While some teams might be content with allowing their young talent to develop, the 49ers are in the same division with the defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams.
"In a division with the Rams, three good cornerbacks are the minimum," writes Barnwell.
So who does the writer feel the 49ers should target this offseason to solidify the spot opposite Sherman? Barnell names two players who might fit within the 49ers defense — Pierre Desir of the Indianapolis Colts and Eric Rowe of the New England Patriots, each of whom is 6-foot-1. Both Desir and Rowe are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in March.
"Desir is coming off a career year in Indy," writes Barnwell, "while Rowe has a longer track record but hasn't been able to stay healthy. The former Eagles draftee has missed 27 games over the past three seasons. Good money on a team-friendly structure might be the way to go here."
Other offseason moves suggested by Barnwell are freeing up some cap space by parting ways with expensive veterans like wide receiver Pierre Garçon and linebacker Malcolm Smith, using the franchise tag on kicker Robbie Gould, drafting a dominant edge rusher, and ignoring any calls about quarterback Nick Mullens.
"At the least, he appears to be a competent backup quarterback, a role that teams usually pay something in the $6 million per year range to fill," writes Barnwell. "Mullens has $10 million in surplus value on his current deal, let alone the implied value of what would happen if he continues to develop and turns into a viable starting quarterback. In a financial system in which cheap quarterbacks rule the world, Mullens has significant trade value."
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