The 49ers are adding cornerback Isaiah Oliver to their cornerback room according to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo. It’s the second time in as many seasons the 49ers have looked for CB help on the free agent market. Matt Barrows of the Athletic reported the deal is for two years.
Oliver, a 2018 second-round pick of the Falcons, struggled in the first three years of his career, but came on strong in 2021 and 2022. During his first three seasons he allowed 13 touchdowns with just one interception per Pro Football Focus. In the last two seasons he’s allowed only one TD with with one interception.
The uptick in productivity came with a move down to the slot where he primarily played during the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. Prior to that he was typically lined up outside for Atlanta.
One key issue that stands out is Oliver’s injury woes the last two years. A knee injury in 2021 held him to just four games, while another knee injury in 2022 limited him to 12 contests.
While the versatility is nice, it’s likely he’ll compete with Samuel Womack at nickel corner for San Francisco with Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir the frontrunners to start on the outside.
Emmanuel Moseley moving on in free agency opened up a starting CB spot for the 49ers. Lenoir’s inside/outside versatility gave the team some flexibility on where they added a corner. Instead of tracking down a player to line up outside, they snagged Oliver to likely take over the nickel spot.
