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Eric Williams
NFC West Writer
Charvarius Ward has developed into a playmaking Pro Bowl corner on one side of the defense for the San Francisco 49ers.
But if the Niners want to become a championship-caliber defense and play more sticky man coverage — which could lead to a return to the Super Bowl for the third time in six seasons — they need a legit cover guy opposite Ward.
San Francisco allowed a respectable 214.2 passing yards a contest last season, good enough for No. 14 in the league. The 49ers held opponents to just 20 passing touchdowns in 2023, tied for eighth in the league.
The 49ers tied for tops in the NFL with 22 interceptions, and Ward was a big part of that. He totaled career highs in interceptions (5) and pass breakups (23), solidifying himself as one of the top cover corners in the league and earning Pro Bowl honors.
However, the 49ers experienced a dip in performance during the postseason. San Francisco’s defense gave up an average of 260 passing yards a contest in the playoffs, allowed offenses to convert on third down 50% of the time and gave up an average of 25.7 points per game.
Former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who specializes in coaching the secondary, could never find a versatile athlete sticky in coverage to play opposite of Ward on the perimeter. Deommodore Lenoir started opposite Ward, but the 49ers kicked him inside to nickel cornerback in obvious passing situations because the team’s projected slot defender, Isaiah Oliver, struggled in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, Lenior played 345 defensive snaps during the regular season at slot defender.
The 49ers released Oliver last month, but they’re so desperate at corner that they brought back oft-injured Jason Verrett, who suffered yet another season-ending injury.
The Niners need only look to the team they lost to in the Super Bowl for how important cover corners are for the rest of the defense.
The Chiefs relied…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/as-49ers-reload-for-another-super-bowl-run-cb-upgrade-a-priority
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Publish date : 2024-03-07 19:26:31
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