The San Francisco 49ers survived a scare Sunday against the Detroit Lions, winning by the score of 41-33. This came after San Francisco opened up a 38-10 third-quarter lead.
One of the major backdrops here is the very same injury bug that defined San Francisco’s 2020 season. Pro Bowl cornerback Jason Verrett exited in the second half with a knee injury. Verrett, 30, was seen on the turf in Detroit holding his knee while showing a ton of emotion.
For the former first-round pick of the Chargers, this is the latest in a series of injuries that have derailed a once-promising career. Verrett played a total of six games from 2016-19 before returning fully healthy and playing at a high level last year.
Unfortunately, concerns over his most recent injury were justified. San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan noted after the game that they believe he suffered a torn ACL and will be lost for the remainder of the season.
In the same postgame press conference, Shanahan also seemed to break some news. The head coach indicated that San Francisco has been in contact with free-agent cornerback Richard Sherman, who remains an option to return to the Bay Area.
San Francisco 49ers cornerback options after Week 1 win
With starting corner Emmanuel Moseley sidelined to injury for the Lions game, rookie fifth-round pick Deommodore Lenoir ended up as the 49ers’ top corner once Verrett went down. Fellow rookie Ambry Thomas saw action, only to be burnt on a long touchdown as Detroit attempted its comeback.
Meanwhile, veteran Dontae Johnson saw the field a lot mere days after he was called up from the practice squad. This obviously isn’t the most ideal of scenarios for the 49ers.
Whether Sherman is a legit possibility remains to be seen. There was some talk about the future Hall of Famer returning to the 49ers for a fourth season before being charged in a domestic violence case back in July. The veteran could also face a suspension from the NFL under its personal conduct policy.
As for what the 49ers have on their roster, fellow Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman was inactive Sunday. He signed with the team a week ago.
With backups on the field in the second half Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers allowed Lions quarterback Jared Goff to throw for nearly 300 yards in the final two quarters. It’s one of the reasons Detroit was able to turn a 38-10 deficit into a narrow 41-33 loss.
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