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5 players who 49ers need to be great in 2020

By Mike Phillips

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 19: Richard Sherman #25 of the San Francisco 49ers runs onto the field prior to the start of the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium on January 19, 2020, in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 19: Richard Sherman #25 of the San Francisco 49ers runs onto the field prior to the start of the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium on January 19, 2020, in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

San Francisco 49ers x-factors: CB Richard Sherman

The San Francisco 49ers’ defensive line gets all the credit for the unit’s success, but the secondary is also pretty good. The leader of that unit is cornerback Richard Sherman, who played well during the regular season but had some issues in the playoffs.

Sherman is now 32 years old, an age where it is tough for a lot of top corners to maintain elite cover skills. The decline in physical ability can often be offset by an increased reliance on football acumen and technique, areas where Sherman excels.

Opposing teams will no doubt be looking at the playoff game tape to see where Sherman is vulnerable to try and exploit him. Sherman will also have to deal with plenty of talented passing games as San Francisco has to deal with Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott on the schedule.

If there is a player who can adapt his game to continue playing productively at an advanced age for his position it is Sherman, one of the brightest players in football. The 49ers need Sherman to play more like the regular-season version of himself than the playoff version to keep doing well in 2020.