The 49ers last offseason addressed their most glaring holes in free agency allowing them some freedom in the NFL draft.

If that pattern holds this offseason, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch will likely be aggressive in looking to add a veteran cornerback to the secondary when the new league year begins March 14.

San Francisco reportedly had interest in trading for standout corner Marcus Peters of the Chiefs. Instead, Peters is going to the division rival Rams, which means Trumaine Johnson is poised to hit the open market. Johnson (6-2, 204) fits the mold of what the team is looking for at the position and would be one of the top corners available.

(Trumaine Johnson covers Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald – Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

The 49ers prioritize length and physicality on the outside in their Seahawks-style Cover 3 defense. Johnson has 33 1/4-inch arms, making him a physical match to play opposite Ahkello Witherspoon, a third-round pick from 2017 who asserted himself well in the second half of his rookie season.

Johnson, a third-round pick in 2012, started 62 games for the Rams over his six seasons. He logged 18 interceptions (three for touchdowns) and 67 pass break ups. The 49ers appear unlikely to bring back pending free agent Dontae Johnson, who struggled in his first season as a full-time starter in 2017.

Trumaine Johnson earned $17 million with the Rams last season on the franchise tag after his breakout campaign in 2015 with seven interceptions. He was limited by an ankle injury in 2016 and made just one pick. The 28-year-old is a Stockton, Calif. native and played his college ball at Montana.

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