The San Francisco 49ers could look to upgrade their secondary this offseason. While the team finished sixth against the pass in 2021, it ended with a rookie, Ambry Thomas, across from cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. Most will admit, however, that Thomas ended the season positively, showing a lot of upside.
Moseley missed time due to injury. Safety Jaquiski Tartt is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
While San Francisco reportedly has confidence in a Moseley-Thomas duo, it may want to ensure there is more depth. That could include adding another starting-caliber cornerback.
Richard Sherman expects his two former teams to consider one high-profile cornerback—Stephon Gilmore (h/t @TheSFNiners_).
"The cornerback market is going to be interesting because of how people see Gilmore," Sherman said on his podcast for Pro Football Focus. "[Gilmore] has been fantastic over his entire career, and I look forward to seeing what market he ends up with."
Gilmore, a two-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, is entering his 11th NFL season. The Buffalo Bills made him the No. 10 overall pick in 2012. The New England Patriots signed him in 2017, trading him to the Carolina Panthers on October 6, 2021.
Gilmore appeared in eight games with three starts for Carolina this past season, recording 16 tackles, a tackle for a loss, two interceptions, and two passes defensed. His 77.1 overall Pro Football Focus grade and 79.4 coverage grade in 2021 were each the fourth-highest marks of his career.
Sherman believes Gilmore could flourish with the Seahawks or 49ers and predicts that one of the two teams will land the star cornerback.
"I expect him to go West Coast, with either Seattle or San Francisco to scoop him up, and him to thrive," Sherman added.
You can listen to Sherman's entire podcast below.