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Lenoir’s breakout campaign should force 49ers’ hand in offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — The 49ers have paid so many of their homegrown stars over the years, that the Brinks truck should just have its own reserved parking spot at Levi’s Stadium.
With the way cornerback Deommodore Lenoir is playing, they will need it again this offseason.
The fourth-year defensive back, after a strong showing in 2023, is breaking out right in front of the 49ers’ eyes, and the timing could not be better for the former fifth-round NFL Draft pick.
Lenoir recorded an interception, five tackles and one forced fumble in the 49ers’ 30-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium, continuing a strong campaign that should lead directly into a lucrative unrestricted free agency next offseason.
Barring a sudden change in Lenoir’s play, the 49ers, for the umpteenth time in the coach Kyle Shanahan and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch era, will have to find a way to squeeze in another lucrative contract extension for a homegrown star.
It remains to be seen what the market for corners will look like in the offseason, but there’s a high likelihood Lenoir could surpass veteran teammate and potential free-agent-to-be Charvarius Ward’s average annual value of $13.5 million per season.
If that’s the case, San Francisco likely will be more inclined to pay Lenoir, who is four years young, over Ward, while potentially letting the veteran walk.
The 49ers took a flier on Lenoir, an undersized corner out of Oregon, with the No. 172 pick of the 2021 draft.
His ascension to a starting, lock-down corner wasn’t linear. Far from it, actually. Lenoir was buried on the depth chart in his rookie 2021 season as a rotational corner, at best, before he earned more playing time in the second half of the 2022 season at the nickel position.
He ended up starting all 17 games last season, continuing to impress with his fiery, hard-hitting style of…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/lenoirs-breakout-campaign-force-49ers-192209583.html
Author : NBC Sports BayArea
Publish date : 2024-10-28 19:32:00
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