Reports coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine over the past week have listed the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders as the favorites to land pending free agent cornerback Trumaine Johnson of the Los Angeles Rams, and now one report says the buzz coming out of the Combine is the 49ers will be the place Johnson likely winds up next season.

Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com first reported news earlier last week of the Raiders and 49ers being expected to battle it out for Johnson in free agency, then Rich Cimini of ESPN reported Sunday that Johnson was likely headed to one of those two teams. Then on Monday, Pauline reported the feeling most had as the Combine wound down was that even though the Raiders would like to sign Johnson, the 49ers, who have over $50 million in available cap space, would be the one to eventually get his signature.

"As previously posted last week, Trumaine Johnson is likely to end up with the San Francisco 49ers," wrote Pauline. "The Oakland Raiders want Johnson but do not have the cap space the Niners do. I’m also told the Dallas Cowboys want to sign Johnson but, like the Raiders, their cap space is limited compared to San Francisco."

Johnson, 28, has played the past two seasons under the franchise tag, but with the Rams expected to use the tag on either wide receiver Sammy Watkins or safety Lamarcus Joyner, Johnson is expected to hit free agency when the new league year begins March 14. Rams head coach Sean McVay said at the NFL Scouting Combine the team still had hopes of re-signing Johnson, even with cornerback Marcus Peters set to arrive via trade from Kansas City and the looming contracts for Watkins and Joyner.

“We want Trumaine back. We want to try to see if that can work,” McVay said, per therams.com, adding, “We do have a lot of respect and appreciation for probably the market that he’ll have. And I think that’s where as you get a little closer to free agency, you see what does that market look like? That will then determine if we’re able to get him back and see him continue to play for us.”

Johnson (6-2, 213) had 65 tackles and two interceptions last season. Johnson has 328 tackles, 67 passes defensed and 18 interceptions since joining the Rams as a third-round draft pick out of the University of Montana in 2012. Spotrac.com projects Johnson's contract value at $13.6 million per year.