The 49ers need a starting-caliber cornerback, and it just so happens Rasul Douglas is available (and likely cheap).
The San Francisco 49ers have been notably inactive on the free-agent market with the bulk of their pickups addressing special teams and little else.
In the wake of a sizable chunk of player departures to enter 2025, it's fair to wonder how the Niners will even put together a big enough 90-man offseason roster when offseason workouts begin in spring. Sure, there's the NFL Draft this April. But, trusting a large cast of first-year pros to carve out roles is a tall order.
Despite the inactivity, general manager John Lynch can still go shopping, even if he's constrained by San Francisco's newfound efforts to cut costs.
And there's one free-agent cornerback who'd make a lot of sense.
49ers should go after Rasul Douglas in free agency
The 49ers need a starting-caliber cornerback after losing both Charvarius Ward and Isaac Yiadom to the free-agent market. Two of their three top spots are filled by Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green, but there aren't exactly any notable names behind them on the depth chart.
That's where now-former Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas comes into play.
Douglas will turn 30 years old this offseason, elderly in terms of defensive backs. And the 122.0 passer rating allowed when targeted last season doesn't exactly improve his stock value. That said, he was a turnover-generating machine the previous three years, notching 14 during that timeframe, and his fit within a zone-style scheme is preferable amid the return of Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
True, San Francisco is aiming to get younger and cheaper. At this stage in his career, Douglas likely wouldn't break the bank and might be had for something as simple as a one-year deal, allowing the 49ers to at least plug the void while they seek long-term options.
Speaking of those options, it wouldn't be a shock to see the Niners use at least one of their 11 picks in the draft on a rookie corner, perhaps as early as Round 1. But, it's common for young defensive backs to struggle transitioning to the pro ranks. Opponents are bigger, stronger and faster than anything encountered at the collegiate level, and the routes and schemes are far more complex, too.
Grabbing someone like Douglas on the cheap would safeguard against San Francisco having to rely on an inexperienced defensive back in a starting role.
