Cornerback will be a crucial position for the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.
Sure, it’s always important. But in years prior, the Niners have gotten by with lesser-known corners assisted by hard-hitting safeties and a prominent pass rush.
This hasn’t been the case the last two years, and the landscape is going to be vastly different this year.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is implementing a 4-3 base defense with a single-high Cover 3 scheme. This calls for a free safety to patrol the center of the field as the last line of defense, while the strong safety is up in the box.