Even after NFL Drafts, there’s still the opportunity to top off the roster to bolster championship hopes — including for the San Francisco 49ers.
The Niners addressed some needed areas via the 2023 NFL Draft. However, Peter Panacy of FanSided on Wednesday, May 3 believes there are still some significant moves they must make. And one of those moves? Lure in one more cornerback — three-time Pro Bowler and Bay Area native Marcus Peters.
‘Super Bowl Gunning Move’
The Oakland native Peters remains unsigned by NFL teams. He was last seen with the Baltimore Ravens where he started in 36 games and snatched eight interceptions across three seasons.
Peters, 30, has 32 career interceptions with 92 pass deflections and has returned six picks for touchdowns according to Pro Football Reference. Yet, the multiple Pro Bowler is still without an NFL home. That’s where Panacy believes the 49ers can come in — in a move that provides both depth and experience in a room featuring incoming young talent in Ji’Ayir Brown and Darrell Luter Jr.
“Both could potentially start, too, depending on how things pan out during training camp. However, knowing that young defensive backs tend to struggle a bit early after joining the pro ranks, it’s probably best to rely more on veterans first,” Panacy wrote.
As for the rest of the cornerback room, Panacy believes one spot is already a lock, but the other is up in the air.
“No. 1 cornerback Charvarius Ward is locked in. No questions there. But the No. 2 boundary spot is still up for grabs after Emmanuel Moseley signed in NFL free agency with the Detroit Lions. Sure, the Niners can go with third-year pro Deommodore Lenoir, who took over for Moseley last year and played well enough. But a Super Bowl-gunning move would be to sign still-free-agent corner Marcus Peters,” Panacy said.
Could Peters Still Remain Valuable Even With Age?
This proposed move would be more along the lines of a Jason Verrett type addition if the 49ers were to pursue.
Verrett was more for adding a needed veteran presence in the secondary before ACL tears began to derail the end of his 49ers run. Verrett remains unsigned as a free agent.
While Luter becomes a needed depth move in the 49ers’ CB room, there’s still one more spot they can fill. Ambry Thomas began to lose traction of playing time as Lenoir began to emerge. Outside of Thomas, Samuel Womack and Isaiah Oliver figure to be in the mix for the vacated nickelback/slot CB role that went to Jimmie Ward, who has since rejoined DeMeco Ryans with the Houston Texans.
The 49ers can either place their trust in undrafted rookie cornerback D’Shawn Jamison of Texas to help fill the final spot, or use it to make one more veteran move to complete the roster.
Peters may have seen his interceptions number drop last season along with his pass deflections. He’s also known for taking aggressive, calculated gambles which tends to end in a touchdown. However, he has proven to be a pick-six machine in the past. Plus, at this stage in his career, he can be a valuable resource for third and long scenarios or when the 49ers face four-to-five receiver sets if brought over.
Then there’s the thought of ballhawks Ward, Lenoir and Peters all together and playing for a distinguished DB mind in Steve Wilks…an enticing thought indeed for S.F.
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49ers Called to Add 3-Time Pro Bowl Defender From the Bay Area