Last season, the 49ers' defensive MVP was Fred Warner, and the season before it was Nick Bosa. This year, it will be cornerback Charvarius Ward, and here's why.
This season, the 49ers defensive MVP will be someone new. Because even though Warner still is a great player, he benefits tremendously from Dre Greenlaw who will miss part of the season with a torn Achilles. Greenlaw covers up Warner's weaknesses against the run -- he's more of a coverage specialist playing linebacker. And those weaknesses could get exposed.
In addition, Bosa still is a great player, but he's not the player he was before he signed his gigantic contract extension that made him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. He doesn't seem like he has as much to prove anymore. His motor isn't as good and neither is his pass-rush technique.Halfway through last season, Ward established himself as a shutdown cornerback who can shadow no. 1 wide receivers around the field and make plays.
Now he gets to play for assistant head coach Brandon Staley, who used to be the Rams defensive coordinator in 2020. That season, All Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey had one of his best seasons in the NFL as Staley lined him all over the field. Expect the 49ers to use Ward in similar ways this season considering he's at least as good as Ramsey at this stage of their careers.Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011.
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