San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward is expected to attract significant interest when he hits free agency this week, with several teams reportedly expressing interest, according to Michael Silver of The Athletic.
"I do not expect him to return to the 49ers," Silver wrote.
If the 49ers cannot find a replacement in free agency, and if there is any hesitation about lining up second-year corner Renardo Green opposite Deommodore Lenoir, they may look to the 2025 NFL Draft for a potential starter.
In his latest mock draft, The Draft Network's Mason Johnstone has the 49ers using the No. 11 overall pick to select Michigan cornerback Will Johnson.
"Will Johnson's injury may have affected his draft stock, but there's no debate—he's one of the two best cornerbacks in this class," Johnstone wrote. "While the 49ers have bigger needs, particularly in the trenches, they can address those later. A player of Johnson's caliber won't be available again, making this a value pick too good to pass up."
The 49ers met with Johnson at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he measured 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds.
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Despite battling shoulder and turf toe injuries that limited him to just six games last season, Johnson still totaled 14 tackles (one for a loss), three passes defensed, and two interceptions—both of which were returned for touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. Opposing quarterbacks posted an NFL passer rating of just 52.6 when targeting him.
Over three seasons at Michigan, Johnson accumulated 68 tackles (four for a loss), nine interceptions, three touchdowns, and 10 passes defensed. He earned a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of at least 76.7 in each of his collegiate seasons and did not allow a touchdown in his last two years.