Getty John Lynch before the January 19, 2020 NFC title game.
There was only one taker in the end for San Francisco 49ers free agent cornerback Jason Verrett: The 49ers themselves.
Mentioned by Heavy’s Evan Reier on Monday, the veteran cornerback resigned with San Francisco on Monday, May 2, with the franchise announcing the move.
Verrett has battled a string of injuries in the Bay Area, as he was limited to one start last season due to an ACL tear. Two seasons earlier (his first with the 49ers), he also dealt with a season-ending injury.
But through the myriad of ailments, the 49ers and general manager John Lynch have proven to stick with him. And the GM of the ‘Niners explained why in his appearance on KNBR’s Murph and Mac show on Monday.
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‘He’s a No.1 Corner For us’
Lynch is aware of the stigma of injuries that has piled on the 30-year-old from nearby Fairfield, California. But Lynch mentioned the elements on why he’s greatly admired by the GM and the 49ers’ locker room.
“We all know what Jason’s been through, and it’s been a lot,” Lynch told both hosts. “This guy’s ability and passion for the game, his makeup, his toughness, it’s all to be admired. It hurt our heart. It hurt Jason. He’s a number one corner for us. For it to happen to him yet again was crushing.”
Lynch, however, refused to leave him unsigned along with the rest of the 49ers’ brass, saying “He’s a guy you don’t give up on. We’re certainly not going to. It’s a lot to ask for his body to recover again, but if there’s someone that we believe can do it, it’s Jason.”
The Current 49ers CB Room
With Verrett back on board, he’ll be walking into a much different looking cornerback room for the 49ers.
The franchise splurged on former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward with a three-year, $40.5 million deal during the March free agency period. The team then drafted two cornerbacks during the final day of the NFL Draft on April 30: Samuel Womack of Toledo (172nd overall) and Tariq Castro-Fields of Penn State (No. 221 overall).
Verrett was among four free agent cornerbacks for the 2022 period on the 49ers roster — joining Josh Norman, K’Waun Williams and Dontae Johnson. Of the three, only Williams signed elsewhere with the Denver Broncos to a two-year, $5.2 million deal. Johnson signed back with the 49ers on a one-year, $1,272,500 deal. Norman remains unsigned.
Now, the CB room looks like this: Ward, Verrett, Emmanuel Moseley (who missed the remainder of last season with a high ankle sprain), second year cornerback Ambry Thomas, fellow 2021 draft pick Deommodore Lenoir, Johnson and the two rookies. Also, undrafted rookie Qwuantrezz Knight out of UCLA signed on as an undrafted free agent.
But again, Lynch is a believer that Verrett has earned the opportunity to suit up for the 49ers once again.
“We felt like, number one, he’s earned that opportunity with us. And number two, I think he’s worth giving it to because he’s done this before,” Lynch said. “You do have to ask yourself at some point if it keeps happening. But we have a 90-man roster, and during the offseason, when you talk about is he worthy of that? Certainly, he is. So we’re going to give it another attempt.”