Report: San Francisco 49ers bring back Emmanuel Moseley on two-year deal
The San Francisco 49ers have answered one of their key questions at cornerback this offseason.
The team Friday agreed to terms on a two-year contract with Emmanuel Moseley worth $10.1 million, according to a report from ESPN.
Moseley, who turns 25 later this month, was slated for restricted free agency after appearing in 28 games over the last two regular seasons. He started the NFC title game and Super Bowl after the 2019 campaign when the 49ers had the league’s top ranked passing defense. He joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2018 after playing at the University of Tennessee. He impressed scouts with his toughness and physicality despite his 5-foot-11, 184-pound frame.
Moseley is the only cornerback that has significant starting experience under contract with the team. The only other corners on the roster are Tim Harris, Mark Fields II, Adonis Alexander and Ken Webster, who is the only one of that group to start a game in the NFL.
Veterans Richard Sherman, Jason Verrett and slot cornerback K’Waun Williams are scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency when the new league year begins next Wednesday. Moseley could play outside or in the slot if Williams heads elsewhere.
Sherman made it clear to The Bee last month his time with San Francisco is likely over while Verrett is a candidate to return after putting together a strong season in 2020 coming off a string of career-altering injuries. Ahkello Witherspoon, a third-round draft pick in 2017 who was often benched in favor of Moseley, is also slated to hit the market.
The 49ers before Moseley’s deal had roughly $24.9 million in salary cap space, the 10th most in the NFL, while the salary cap for 2021 will be $182.5 million, down roughly $30 million from the initial projections prior to the pandemic.
The structure of Moseley’s contract is not immediately known, but it’s unlikely it would prevent the team from adding cornerbacks in free agency or the draft. San Francisco is slated to have 10 picks, including Nos. 12 and 43 overall in the first two rounds.
—The 49ers on Friday made two more roster moves in addition to inking Moseley.
The team picked up the one-year tender on exclusive rights free agent Daniel Brunskill, a versatile offensive lineman that has played tackle, guard and center over the past two seasons. Brunskill saw most of his time at right guard before moving to center during the second half of 2020.
It’s likely Brunskill will be in the mix to start at right guard if the team makes an addition at center in free agency or the draft. He’ll compete with second-year pro Colton McKivitz and Justin Skule, who has also played tackle and guard since entering the league as a sixth-round pick in 2019.
The 49ers also gave defensive end Ronald Blair III a head start on his free agency by releasing him Friday days before the new league year begins.
Blair, 28, didn’t play last season after having complications from a torn ACL suffered Nov. 2019. He has 13.5 sacks in four seasons. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 draft.
Blair’s departure emphasizes San Francisco’s need to pass rushers this offseason after Nick Bosa and Dee Ford missed the majority of 2020 to injuries.
This story was originally published March 12, 2021 at 12:44 PM.
