Deommodore Lenoir was snubbed by the Pro Bowl — but he’s become the centerpiece to the 49ers’ secondary

This is Part 6 of our eight-part State of the 49ers series — where we’ll assess each position group and introduce some high-level solutions to get the team back into next season’s Super Bowl hunt. Up next: the defensive backs.

On the whole, it was a dreadful season for the 49ers defense. The fact that they tumbled from No. 10 to 26 in overall efficiency speaks to that. So do our reviews of the 49ers’ defensive line and linebacker groups. They certainly weren’t rosy.

But a move to the secondary — especially the cornerbacks — yields some brighter news. The 49ers dropped only from No. 4 to 10 in defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) against the pass, mainly thanks to corners Deommodore Lenoir and rookie Renardo Green.

Lenoir signed a lucrative extension in November just as Green, a second-round pick out of Florida State, grabbed hold of a starting spot on the outside. Lenoir delivered an airtight season in coverage and probably should’ve been picked for the Pro Bowl.

Green, meanwhile, was everything the 49ers hoped he’d be after a college career during which he shut down future NFL first-round picks Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Ricky Pearsall. He first emerged in October, undercutting star Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf for a critical fourth-quarter interception. Green essentially ran the in-breaking route for Metcalf, a sign of precocious wisdom — rookies typically lack such nuanced anticipatory skills.

Green’s emergence might’ve saved the 49ers defense from total collapse. Star cornerback Charvarius Ward, who was an All-Pro in 2023, suffered through a down year marred by personal tragedy. Ward’s 23-month-old daughter, Amani Joy, passed away around midseason, leading to an absence from the team and PTSD that the cornerback said might prevent him from re-signing with the 49ers this offseason.

It seems that the future of the team’s cornerback room will be built around Lenoir and Green. But with Isaac Yiadom also scheduled for free agency and Darrell Luter Jr. the only other cornerback on contract who’s been on the 53-man roster, the 49ers have plenty of fortifying to do at cornerback this offseason.

Here’s how the group fared in 2024. YDS/SNAP is yards per snap in coverage allowed. RTG is passer rating allowed — a number which can be helped most by interceptions and denial of touchdown passes. MTK% is missed tackle percentage. Lower numbers are better in each of these categories.

It’s worth noting that Lenoir posted those exemplary numbers while playing multiple positions. In base packages, he played outside cornerback (187 snaps). In nickel or other sub packages (733 snaps), Lenoir moved inside to play slot corner. This versatility was invaluable to the 49ers and should aid them in their search for new talent this offseason. Lenoir gives the 49ers flexibility to pursue corners who specialize in either outside or inside alignments.

That being said, perhaps new defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will aim to perpetuate the adaptability that assistant Brandon Staley — who worked primarily with the team’s corners in 2024 — emphasized. And to that end, the 49ers can try to reunite with their former defensive back D.J. Reed Jr. He’s scheduled to be a free agent in March and recently played for Saleh with the New York Jets. Like Lenoir, Reed was a fifth-round pick who can play both outside and slot cornerback.

Ever since general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017, the 49ers have used 10 draft picks for cornerbacks. Only wide receiver, with 11 picks, has seen more overall attention from the 49ers. However, Lynch didn’t spend higher than a third-round pick for the position until last year, when the 49ers took Green in the second round.

Maybe that success will encourage the 49ers to nab another cornerback relatively early. Colorado’s Travis Hunter (the Heisman Trophy winner), Michigan’s Will Johnson, Texas’ Jahdae Barron, East Carolina’s Shavon Revel Jr. and Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison are some of the top-rated prospects at the position.

Then there’s safety, where the 49ers also enjoyed a promising rookie debut. That came from Malik Mustapha, a fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest.

The team believes the hard-hitting Mustapha can be a foundational piece at safety, but there remain questions about the plan around him. Talanoa Hufanga, an All-Pro in 2022 who tore his ACL in 2023, played only seven games in 2024 because he tore his wrist ligament shortly after returning from the knee injury. Like linebacker Dre Greenlaw, Hufanga is scheduled to hit free agency after a season of limited availability. His market value remains murky, but it stands to reason that the 49ers will only be able to re-sign Hufanga if they can score a bargain, prove-it rate for 2025.

That leaves much pressure on Ji’Ayir Brown, who enters his third season following some bouts with suboptimal play in 2024. Brown’s allowance of 0.38 yards per cover snap was significantly higher than that of Mustapha (0.12), who posted one of the best numbers in the league. Brown also missed some key tackles in the run game, which contributed to the 49ers’ ugly tumble down to No. 29 in run defense.

Might the 49ers turn to free agency to bolster the safety position? They strongly considered doing so last offseason, hosting a pair of veterans — Julian Blackmon and Rayshawn Jenkins — on visits before opting against making any bigger signings at the position. Blackmon, who played for the Indianapolis Colts, might again be an option. That’s because former Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is now on Saleh’s 49ers staff. Familiarity with the staff is valuable, especially at a position that’s the last line of defense. A single bad angle at safety can lead to disastrous results.

Of course, the 49ers can also dip back into the draft here. Netting Mustapha and Hufanga, a fifth-rounder in 2021, didn’t require much draft capital. South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori, Georgia’s Malaki Starks, Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts, Texas’ Andrew Mukuba and Alabama’s Malachi Moore are among the top-rated safeties available.

Ultimately, success here will be inherently tied to how the 49ers perform in the front seven. The defense has been far too disjointed far too often over the past two seasons. Porous efforts against the run have put defensive backs in bad position. And those same DBs have, at times, contributed to the struggles against the run with poor angles and tackling on the back end.

But if the 49ers can right the ship under Saleh, Lenoir — who was drafted just a few months after the defensive coordinator left to coach the Jets — will have a chance to make his postseason prophecy come true.