Matt Maiocco put together a mail bag post yesterday that included a question asking whether the 49ers would be more inclined to break the bank in free agency at cornerback or defensive end. In response, Maiocco indicated he thought the 49ers would go pretty hard after one of the many big name cornerbacks on the market. Among others, Maiocco pointed to Nnamdi Asomugha, Jonathan Joseph, Richard Marshall, Ike Taylor, Carlos Rogers, and Antonio Cromartie.
Maiocco's comment isn't exactly a shocking statement. The 49ers secondary struggled last season and most people expected them to grab a cornerback in the first or second round. Instead, the 49ers opted to go pass rush in the first round and quarterback in the second round. Then they finally grabbed a corner in the third round after trading down with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Either the 49ers were viewing Chris Culliver as a legit sleeper number one cornerback long term, or the team was intending to make a run at somebody in free agency. There is plenty of talent on the market, but we also don't know when that market will materialize.
I know a lot of people are all over the Nnamdi bandwagon, but given that 31 other teams are probably also interested in him, do you have a second choice? Of course, given the demand for Nnamdi, I'm curious to see how many other teams make a run at the other cornerbacks on the market. It's not like these other guys are chopped liver. The 49ers have some options to consider and some money to spend. Or do they actually stick with what they've got in hopes of an improved pass rush benefitting the secondary?