49ers’ looming problem at cornerback
We’ve spent a ton of time this offseason looking at the future of the 49ers’ receiving corps. Whether it’s Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk it sounds like there’s going to be some significant changes in that group next year. On the other side of the ball there’s perhaps an even bigger problem brewing. Neither of the 49ers’ top two CBs are under contract after the 2024 season and both are likely to get paid handsomely in free agency.
Both Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir are set to hit unrestricted free agency next offseason and San Francisco may not be able to pay both to stay.
According to Over the Cap the 49ers are over next year’s projected cap by $38 million. There are ways that they can and will create space, but with Brock Purdy’s extension likely coming next year San Francisco’s cap management will change dramatically. Keeping both of their top CBs might be impossible.
Ward told Kay Adams, host of ‘Up and Adams,’ that he’s “just trying to get the bag” next offseason, which makes sense given how well he played in 2023. If he backs that up with another All-Pro campaign he’ll be in for a sizable free agent deal that pushes north of the contract he signed with the 49ers in 2022 that had a $13.5 million average annual value with $18 million guaranteed.
Then there’s Lenoir who broke out with a career-year in 2023 that flashed his versatility as an inside/outside CB. Ideally the 49ers would do a Dre Greenlaw type of deal with him where they try and trade a longer-term commitment for a cheaper contract. The problem is Greenlaw agreed to his two-year, $16.4 million deal after he’d dealt with a slew of injury problems that had his long-term earning potential in flux.
Lenoir is not in the same boat. He’s purely an ascending player who could conceivably want to sign a deal now, but anything he’d be agreeing to ahead of the 2024 season would pale in comparison to the type of contract he’d get on the open market after another strong year this year.
There’s a chance the 49ers can do the cap gymnastics to keep one of the two, especially if one of them slips up a bit this season.
However, the looming free agency of both underscores how bare the cupboard might be for the 49ers at CB. San Francisco doesn’t even have a surefire third starting CB for this season, much less someone they’re comfortable penciling in as a long-term starter to replace one of Ward or Lenoir.
Ideally a couple players would step up this season to take the third and fourth CB spots and give the 49ers some hope of having multiple options to replace at least one of their starters should they exit next offseason. They drafted Renardo Green in the second round in hopes that he could become that player. Samuel Womack has started games for San Francisco over his three seasons, and second-year CB Darrell Luter Jr. is an interesting option as well. A handful of veterans will also be in the mix although Isaac Yiadom and Rock Ya-Sin are both on one-year contracts.
This will be a situation worth monitoring all year. San Francisco would love to see another great year from both Ward and Lenoir, but the better they are the more likely we are to see them leave for huge contracts next March.
