The San Francisco 49ers will likely be looking for a new cornerback in free agency this spring.

Charvarius Ward was excellent for the 49ers in 2023, but the follow-up season was difficult both on and off the field. After the tragic death of his one-year-old daughter, Ward has been open about the possible need for a change of scenery as he heads to the open market.

On the bright side, the 49ers know their other corner, Deommodore Lenoir, will be around for the foreseeable future after signing a $92 million extension. And the return of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh could help secure Ward’s replacement.

Saleh was the head coach of the New York Jets for three full seasons before he was fired in October. There, he coached a corner he’d already seen with the 49ers, but whose massive improvements from the start of his career have likely earned him a big payday.

Mike Jones of The Athletic predicted that the 49ers would sign Jets corner D.J. Reed, who is widely considered the top free-agent corner of this year’s class and was originally drafted by San Francisco in the fifth round of the 2018 draft.

“The 49ers could wind up losing Charvarius Ward to free agency, so John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan may place a high priority on addressing the secondary,” Jones wrote.

“Reed makes a lot of sense. He spent the last three seasons with the Jets, playing under Robert Saleh, now the 49ers defensive coordinator, and should be able to make a seamless transition while serving as the lockdown corner San Francisco needs.”

Ward, 28, had a fantastic three-year tenure with the Jets, notching 32 passes defended and two interceptions while allowing just six touchdowns in coverage. He held opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 83.3 when targeted during his time in New York.

Spotrac currently projects Reed for a four-year, $59 million contract, which is close to $2 million more annually than they were paying Ward. But if he keeps up his production from his time in New York, it will be worth the gamble.

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