To say that cornerback Jason Verrett's NFL career has been injury-plagued would be an understatement. He has landed on injured reserve during all but one of his six NFL seasons. That one healthy NFL season, though, resulted in a Pro Bowl selection.
Verrett suffered a torn labrum in 2014. He tore his ACL two years later. The cornerback had knee surgery at the start of the 2017 season. In 2018, he suffered an Achilles injury on the first day of training camp.
And all of that was before signing with the San Francisco 49ers last offseason.
Verrett was coming off that Achilles injury when he joined the Niners. He suffered a setback during training camp but finally got onto the field during Week 3. The results were less than impressive, and Verrett aggravated an ankle injury during the appearance, once again landing on injured reserve.
It may have been what Verrett needed, though. It allowed the defender to take his time during his recovery.
"I went through a lot in back-to-back years with ACLs and Achilles, so I didn't really get the full recovery," Verrett told reporters after Friday's practice. "With this past year, having that, and going into this season, it was a blessing and good boost for me. So, I like where I'm at now."
Verrett got the start this past weekend against the New York Giants. He allowed two receptions for nine yards on four targets.
"He played really outstanding football, and Jason has that ability in him," general manager John Lynch said Friday morning on KNBR. "It's been a long, hard road in this league for him. he came in at the high level, a first-round draft pick who played at an All-Pro level early in his career, and then the injury bug started hurting him."
Verrett will get another opportunity to start this weekend with Richard Sherman still on injured reserve and cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley and Ahkello Witherspoon ruled out against the Eagles.
Verrett was asked to describe the difference in how he feels this year compared to his one game last season.
"It's night and day different," Verrett responded. "... I give credit to the strength coaches and training staff, [placing me on injured reserve] last year, allowing me to get my body fully underneath me, just due to the fact of all the injuries that I went through those previous years.
"Having the rest of the season last year, and then COVID and everything this past spring, it kind of helped me a lot to rest my body, and at the same time, get stronger and get faster.
"So fast forward to right now, I'm loving where I'm at body-wise. I just hope I can stay that way for the rest of the year."