Life can come full circle.
San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh (L) and head coach Kyle Shanahan (R) | Michael Zagaris/GettyImages
The 49ers’ situation at cornerback may force them to stage a reunion with an old friend.
The San Francisco 49ers had plenty of holes to fill via the 2025 NFL Draft.
In fact, there were so many holes, it was essentially impossible to address every single one of them via the three-day event and despite having 11 total picks at their disposal.
Sure, the defensive line received plenty of attention with Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins and C.J. West being the new faces that’ll comprise the rookie class on this side of the ball.
And while the Niners also reinfused some first-year talent into the secondary, grabbing defensive backs Upton Stout and Marques Sigle, there are still plenty of question marks remaining for that portion of the field.
Questions that could prompt defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to press for one of his former pupils.
49ers could make a run at Emmanuel Moseley in free agency
Stout and Sigle are both intended to reinforce the secondary, particularly after San Francisco lost All-Pro defensive backs Charvarius Ward and Talanoa Hufanga to free agency. Coupled with second-year pro Malik Mustapha’s late-2024 ACL tear, which points to him missing the beginning of 2025, a lot will be asked of this rookie duo.
But it’s feasible neither is fully ready to step in right away.
The 49ers have two excellent cornerbacks in Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green. In theory, Stout steps in as a nickel back, but that might not happen in year one. If rookie minicamp and subsequent workouts reveal Stout isn’t quite ready, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Saleh pound the table for one of his hidden-gem finds from years ago.
Veteran corner Emmanuel Moseley, the undrafted free agent identified in 2018 who subsequently earned a starting job a year later and turned into a quality defender through 2021 before tearing his ACL early in 2022.
Moseley, 29 years old, spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Lions. But both years have been marred by serious injuries, including another torn ACL in 2023 and then a torn pectoral last year.
So, it’s no surprise he remains available on the free-agent market with seemingly no interest from Detroit in a re-sign deal.
That’ll surely drop his asking price down to the bare minimum, but familiarity with Saleh’s scheme (and success within it) could and potentially should prompt the Niners to explore bringing the veteran back on a prove-it deal. If anything, Moseley would serve as a veteran presence aiming to push the younger defensive backs into more prominent roles while guarding against the possibility of either/both not being ready for first-team duties just yet.
Either way, don’t be shocked if Saleh makes a strong push for the one-time San Francisco standout.