49ers Mailbag: Why no cornerback in the draft? Which free agent will make the team?

Our weekly mailbag was pushed back a day following the NFL draft because of the Joe Staley-palooza on Tuesday that included video conferences with Patrick Willis, Mike McGlinchey, George Kittle and Staley himself.

But we haven’t forgotten about answering your questions, so let’s get to it.

Colum asks: 49ers stand to lose a lot of pieces in the secondary after year so why did the Niners not pick a defensive back in the draft? Are they confident of re-signing most of them to good deals, excited about the DBs in the 2021 draft or did the board not fall correctly for them to get someone?

I wrote about this earlier this week.

I believe a couple things are at work. First, the 49ers like the cornerbacks they have, which is justifiable. Last season they had one of the best pass defenses in recent memory. And as well as the pass rush performed, their Pro Football Focus coverage grade was tops in the league.

But there are valid questions about long-term sustainability.

Can Richard Sherman continue to play at a high level at age 32 or is he going to start showing decline? Can Ahkello Witherspoon finally become a consistent starter or is he going to continue to match his highs with frustrating lapses that have defined his roller coaster career? Is Emmanuel Moseley someone the team can trust to develop into a long-term starter or is he going to have a career similar to Adrian Colbert, who looked like a starting safety in 2017 before playing his way off the roster soon after?

There appear to be more questions than long-term answers at cornerback, which will put a spotlight on the position in a big way, particularly without adding any significant pieces there this offseason.

The other reason the 49ers passed on defensive backs: Kyle Shanahan loves Brandon Aiyuk, the receiver he traded up for in the first round. Doing so cost San Francisco a pair of midround picks they could have used to address the secondary. It’s a big bet and clearly one Shanahan believes in.

My guess is the 49ers hit the secondary next offseason in a similar way they did the pass rush in 2019, when they added Dee Ford and Nick Bosa. They won’t have the No. 2 overall pick again, but they will have their full complement of draft capital (except the third-round pick they moved for Trent Williams) to use on a cornerback. They could also dip into the free agent pool in a significant way if Sherman isn’t brought back for his age 33 season.

Babyniner asks: Which undrafted free agent will have the best Chances to make the roster?

I think it’s JaMychal Hasty, the running back from Baylor.

We’ve seen this story before. Running backs coach Bobby Turner finds an undrafted rookie he loves and that player ends up being a valuable member of the running back rotation. Hasty could become the team’s next Matt Breida, though he has a different skill set.

Hasty never had more than 627 yards in a season at Baylor, but that’s because he split carries with John Lovett. Still, Hasty averaged 5.8 yards per carry last season while catching 79 passes in his career, which means he could offer a receiving dynamic out of the backfield the 49ers lacked last season (the team believes Jerick McKinnon can be a valuable asset as a pass catcher as well).

Hasty is short (5-8), fast enough (4.55) and explosive (39-inch vertical jump). He also loves to play special teams, which would be vital for a third or fourth running back to make an impact.

49ers de casa asks: Who is expected to make the final roster in receiver and running back?

The receiver position is suddenly very crowded even with Emmanuel Sanders gone to New Orleans and Marquise Goodwin traded to the Eagles.

Shanahan will likely keep six players and if I had to make an early, early guess, here’s how the group would look (barring injury): Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne, Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Taylor, Richie James Jr. and Travis Benjamin.

Three notable names not on the list: seventh-round pick Jauan Jennings, Jalen Hurd and 2018 second-round pick Dante Pettis.

Why? I believe it would take multiple injuries for Jennings to be considered. He seems poised for the practice squad despite inevitably becoming a fan favorite during the preseason — if we have a preseason. And I’m not counting on Hurd to be ready and healthy until I see it with my own eyes. There have been too many instances in which significant back injuries, particularly lower back fractures, are more complicated than anyone expects. Recently retired tight end Garrett Celek comes to mind. So does Taylor, who struggled following back surgery in the 2018 offseason.

I find it hard to reconcile Hurd didn’t travel to the Super Bowl because his back wasn’t ready but the team is counting on him to be a contributor in 2020. That just doesn’t track (the team also gave his preferred jersey No. 17 away for a second time to Benjamin, which could be telling).

Finally, Pettis. Was there anything that happened in 2019 that makes Pettis a lock to return in 2020? It seems like he would have to make a significant jump this summer and he would have to do it without the benefit of an offseason program. Pure speculation: Pettis seems like a trade candidate if he doesn’t get off to a great start to training camp.

At running back, the conversation appears much more simple. Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, Jerick McKinnon and Kyle Juszczyk are the most likely roster candidates with Jeff Wilson Jr. and Hasty as possibilities in case of injury.

Frank asks: Are they all in on Daniel Brunskill at right guard? Is there anyone still available in free agency that could be an upgrade and not cost a fortune?

They could always add someone else, but their cap space is minimal following the draft and they have a slew of bodies they could throw into the competition.

I think Brusnkill should be considered the early favorite to start at right guard, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see fifth-round pick Colton McKivitz get serious consideration. The 49ers liked McKivitz enough to tab him as one of their contingencies in case they didn’t get the Williams trade done. It’s clear they like him.

Others they’ll think about: Ben Garland (though he’ll likely get the starting reps at center while Weston Richburg rehabs his knee injury), Tom Compton and Ross Reynolds, an undrafted free agent last season who might be going under the radar.

Flynn asks: Do you think the Niners could be thinking of converting Jauan Jennings to a fullback? He seems to have a good skill set for it.

I think it’s more likely they try him as a move tight end or H-back, similar to their thinking with Hurd. Jennings (6-3, 215) could add 15 pounds of muscle and be a third or fourth option behind George Kittle, Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner. It would be an interesting way to utilize a 54th or 55th roster spot the team will have at its disposal in 2020.

Versatility is important and Jennings could offer some game-plan specific matchups issues Shanahan could exploit. Plus, no one other than Kyle Juszczyk will be playing fullback as long as he’s healthy.

This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 4:00 AM.