49ers' Richard Sherman impressed by Jason Verrett's injury recovery

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Jason Verrett entered the NFL with plenty of hype after being taken No. 25 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft by the then-San Diego Chargers. But Verrett has since been plagued by injuries, ending five of his six NFL seasons on injured reserve.

The only season he was able to complete, 2015, Verrett was named to the Pro Bowl with three interceptions and 12 pass deflections. After five years with the Chargers, Verrett signed with the 49ers in March of 2019, hoping for a fresh start with a new organization. But Verrett played in just one regular-season game before being put on the all-too-familiar injured reserve with an ankle injury in October.

Richard Sherman has seen Verrett's recovery process up close with the 49ers over the past 16 months, and has been inspired by the cornerback's determination as he tries to get back on the field.

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“I think that’s why he’ll succeed,” Sherman told The Athletic's Matt Barrows. “It’s difficult to knock somebody like that down and out because they won’t ever quit. A guy that won’t ever quit is very difficult to defeat. And I look forward to him succeeding.”

Verrett would be quite a comeback story for the 49ers. A Fairfield native, Verrett played at Santa Rosa Junior College before making a name for himself at the NCAA Division I level at Texas Christian University.

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He doesn't quite fit defensive coordinator Robert Saleh's ideal profile of a larger cornerback, but when healthy, Verrett has been one of the NFL's best in coverage. In that 2015 season, Verrett finished with Pro Football Focus' second-highest overall grade among qualifying cornerbacks.

It remains to be seen whether Verrett can return to somewhere close to his former self, but if he can return at 100 percent in 2020, Verrett could fill one of the few question marks on the 49ers' roster.

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