5 reasons the 49ers will regress in 2020

4. The 49ers secondary is a weakness

The 49ers defense only gave up a respectable 19.4 points per game last season, but their secondary certainly wasn’t a strength in 2019. The group could be even weaker in 2020.

Richard Sherman’s advancing age should be a big concern for the franchise. He’s never been overly dependent on his speed and athleticism, but at 32 years of age, it’s obvious to everyone that he’s lost several steps when it comes to playing single coverage. He’ll need safety help the vast majority of the time next year.

It’s very possible that Ahkello Witherspoon is actually the best corner cover on the roster at the moment. He’s a respectable starter, but he’s definitely miscast as a No. 1 option. Look for opponents to test the 49ers’ corners early and often in 2020.

The saving grace for the weak corners is that they’ll get excellent support from the team’s pair of starting safeties. Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt are both above-average starters. That will help San Francisco’s defense, but it won’t be enough to overcome the 49ers’ lack of talent at cornerback.