49ers mailbag: Will Sherman get a contract extension? Can Jennings run the wildcat?
As uncertainty about the future of the NFL simmers during the coronavirus, we know this much: It’s mailbag time. To the questions.
Box Kev asks: Looking past this season, do you see a Richard Sherman contract extension?
I think both sides are open to the idea. But as I’ve mentioned on the topic of George Kittle’s looming contract extension, the potential revenue shortfall from playing games in empty stadiums this season has teams in holding patterns when it comes to expensive new contracts.
Simply put, it’s unclear what’s going to happen with the 2021 salary cap. It could shrink dramatically. Or the league could try to make up the difference in revenue by taking on debt. ESPN reported earlier this month the league agreed to raise each club’s individual debt ceiling by $150 million.
The 49ers aren’t alone in this. The Cowboys are trying to figure out what to do with the contract for quarterback Dak Prescott. The Jets are doing the same with safety Jamal Adams. Jadeveon Clowney, in a normal offseason, would have been one of the highest-paid free agents who would have likely found a new team on the first day of the league year.
Instead, there’s uncertainty across the league. So without a clear financial picture of what 2021 will look like, don’t expect there to be any big money contracts given out.
Alfonso asks: I know there’s still a whole season to play, but as of right now what CBs would you sign to an extension?
I think having Sherman around for another year or two would be in the best interest of both sides. Sherman has proven he can play at an elite level even as he ages, and it’s certainly not lost on him that people will be talking about the deep passes he gave up in the NFC title game and Super Bowl. Sherman is one of the best we’ve seen at turning slights into motivation.
Plus, in the case defensive coordinator Robert Saleh leaves for a head coaching job next offseason, having Sherman around to work as an extension of the coaching staff would ease the transition to a new coordinator.
When it comes to the other cornerback spots, the 49ers are entering a crucial time for the position. Like Sherman, Ahkello Witherspoon, K’Waun Williams and Emmanuel Moseley are all unsigned beyond 2020. Williams has been the best and most consistent player of those three, but he might have priced him out of San Francisco’s range given the other big money contracts coming down the pike, like for George Kittle, Trent Williams, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and others.
Witherspoon and Moseley have both shown flashes of playing like high-level starters. But neither was good enough throughout 2019 to cement their status moving forward. Witherspoon’s inconsistency led to getting benched for Moseley in the divisional round against the Vikings, and Moseley, of course, was to blame for the third-and-15 coverage gaff in the Super Bowl.
Does either player warrant an extension right now? I don’t believe so. I’m expecting the team to put the pressure on the players to play well in their contract seasons before giving out any new money.
Plus, as mentioned above, we have no idea what the financial landscape will look like beyond this season.
Jake asks: Digging further into Jauan Jennings, it sounds like he’s got some wildcat QB ability. Would that versatility help him make the team in a Taysom Hill type role?
Jennings played quarterback in high school before going to Tennessee so it’s possible he’s used in variations of the wildcat or as a thrower in some gadget plays.
Kyle Shanahan dialed up passes from Dante Pettis in September against the Bengals and Emmanuel Sanders in December in New Orleans. Richie James took a snap in the wildcat near the goal line against the Saints. Shanahan’s not adverse to trying new things.
But I find it hard to envision Jennings being used like the Saints use Hill, however. Hill has 4.4 speed and extensive quarterback experience from college.
Jennings, who ran a 4.72, was a full-time receiver for the Volunteers. Hill’s appeal in that role is versatility. Jennings doesn’t appear to be a better runner than any of San Francisco’s current running backs and his arm isn’t a bigger threat than Jimmy Garoppolo’s, so it’s hard to see the wildcat becoming a key part of Shanahan’s weekly game plan.