The 49ers took care of an important business order on Monday, when they allegedly agreed on a $ 5.5 million one-year contract to bring cornerback Jason Verrett back to the 2021 season.
The contract amounts to $ 6.5 million if Verrett is nominated for the Pro Bowl next season. Verrett’s rehiring follows a two-year contract with cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and gives 49ers stability in their defensive field.
Entering the off-season, the 49ers were scheduled to have Verrett, Richard Sherman, K’Waun Williams, Jaquiski Tartt and Ahkello Witherspoon as unrestricted free agents, with Moseley set to target the restricted free agency. This caused the 49ers to look at what could have been a major overhaul on the secondary, but the return of Verrett and Moseley gives them two capable starting corners and allows them to now focus their attention on retaining their two biggest free agents: nickelback K ‘Waun Williams and left tackle Trent Williams.
Verrett, 29, made 13 appearances last season for the 49ers and was ranked 7th in the Pro Football Focus ranking in the NFL. He allowed 43 receptions on 63 targets for 382 yards, 141 yards after the reception, a touchdown, two interceptions, had an opponent quarterback rating of 76.3. He made 60 tackles and allowed only 8.9 yards per reception in 803 snaps. He earned a 76.1 coverage note from the PFF and looked like a high-quality cornerback in the NFL.
The big problem with Verrett, of course, is his injury history. Prior to last season, the TCU product had played only 67 clicks in the previous three seasons. During his last wholly healthy season, Verrett gained a degree of coverage of 90.9. Although he did not return to that level in 2020, it is clear that if he can stay healthy, he can be a prominent cornerback in the NFL. The 49ers want Verrett to prove that 2020 was not a disaster and that he can do it again in 2021.
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Verrett has the size, length and physicality needed for a top NFL cornerback, but his football IQ makes him even more attractive to coach Kyle Shanahan and new defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.
by bringing Verrett back to 2021, the 49ers guarantee that they will have a number 1 cornerback in a division with DeAndre Hopkins, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. In addition, the $ 5.5 million one-year contract will not hurt them in 2022, when they are expected to be overcrowded. This allows them to take advantage of a long-term CB1 and gives Verrett one more season to prove that he can stay healthy and be a true first-rate corner in the NFL.
Having Verrett and Moseley also allows 49ers to focus their attention on the 2021 NFL Draft on the edge rusher or offensive line, two other important areas of need.
For the 49ers to recover in 2021 and return to the Super Bowl, they need their defense back to the 2019 level. Having a blocking corner was a big part of that equation, and they did it in Verrett, as long as he could stay healthy for a reasonable price.
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