The San Francisco 49ers missed out on Jalen Ramsey, but there are still options for them to upgrade their secondary.
According to ESPN, three of the top-four remaining free agents are cornerbacks, and signing any would constitute an improvement to the Niners cornerback room.
After losing Charvarious Ward to the Indianapolis Colts, and with projected starter Deommodore Lenoir facing a potential suspension from the NFL since he was arrested last week in Los Angeles, the Niners could use at least one of the players on ESPN’s list.
Who Can The 49ers Get To Upgrade Their Cornerback Position?
The Niners were linked to Ramsey, and have been connected with Jamel Dean of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers via trade.
But if they opt to go the free agency route, the 49ers could target Mike Hilton, Asante Samuel Jr and/or Rasul Douglas, each of whom is still on the market.
According to ESPN, Douglas is the best-remaining free agent. The former Buffalo Bills corner, who will turn 30 on Aug. 29, had just a 59.2 grade according to Pro-Football Focus and did not record an interception in 2024.
Still, Douglas had 58 tackles and five passes defended in 2024 and recorded 16 tackles in the playoffs, helping the Bills reach the AFC Championship Game.
“Douglas is a physical corner with the length to disrupt the ball and the willingness to set an edge against the run (five tackles for loss last season),” Matt Bowen wrote. “He’s an easy fit in a zone system that allows him to reroute underneath and attack the ball from the outside third of the field.”
Samuel is coming off shoulder surgery in April, and his injuries cost him all but four games last year. The Los Angeles Chargers corner had two passes defended and 13 tackles last season but finished with a higher PFF grade than Douglas (59.3) despite ranking as the third-best free agent.
“Samuel has a playmaking mentality at cornerback, with the foot quickness and sudden closing speed to break on the ball,” Bowen wrote. “A shoulder injury limited Samuel to four games last season, but he has six interceptions and 26 pass breakups in his four years with the Chargers.”
Hilton was the highest-rated remaining cornerback per PFF, finishing 22nd overall last season with a 75.9 grade. He had 73 tackles, five passes defended and one interception for the Cincinnati Bengals, even though he just turned 31 in March.
“A slot corner who plays with a sense of urgency, Hilton had 12 tackles for loss and eight pressures last season,” Bowen wrote. “He has a natural feel for playing in space as a coverage defender with the aggressive mentality to tackle and blitz on the edges. In eight seasons, Hilton has 13 interceptions, 11.5 sacks and 34 pass breakups.”
Which Cornerback Is The Best Fit For the 49ers?
Any of the above-listed players would make sense, but Douglas would be the best fit for the team’s tendency to play zone under new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
But the 49ers also have more than $46 million salary-cap space, which means they could choose to target multiple corners by adding either Douglas or Samuel and Hilton, since the latter is a slot corner.
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