Last season, the 49ers' rookie of the year was Ji'Ayir Brown. He became a starter down the stretch and made a huge interception in the Super Bowl. This season, the 49ers rookie of the year also will be a defensive back -- second-round pick Renardo Green.
Last season, the 49ers' rookie of the year was Ji'Ayir Brown. He became a starter down the stretch and made a huge interception in the Super Bowl.Renardo GreenGreen may not start right away this season -- he'll have to beat out veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom. And the 49ers coaching staff can be quite conservative when it comes to picking starters. But Yiadom has had an extremely inconsistent career. He played well last season for the Saints, and that was a career first.
Now, he'll be the no. 1 target in the 49ers' secondary. Opposing quarterbacks won't want to test Charvarius Ward or Deommodore Lenoir, which means Yiadom will get lots of action. So if he can't cut it, we'll find out right away. I expect Yiadom will play his way off the field in the first few games, and then I expect Green will get his opportunity to play. And if OTAs and minicamp are any indication, he'll play well.
Green is extremely competitive and gives up very little separation when he's covering the slot receiver. His biggest issue is that his coverage can be too tight at times and he can commit penalties. But being too aggressive is better than being passive. Once Green gets a feel for what he can and can't get away with, I expect he'll be a quality nickelback for the 49ers.Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why the 49ers Won't Sign Brandon Aiyuk to an ExtensionThe current situation on a contract extension between the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk is not looking too great. It could very well maintain through training camp that prevents an agreement ever getting done.
Read more »
Why New York Jets Should Pursue Trade for 49ers' Brandon AiyukSan Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk would be a perfect potential trade target for the New York Jets.
Read more »
Why the 49ers Will Sign Brandon Aiyuk to an ExtensionIt has been difficult to be very hopeful lately that the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk will agree to a contract extension, but there is a strong case to make for why an agreement will come to fruition.
Read more »
Why 49ers TE George Kittle Lost Nearly 30 Pounds of Muscle in MarchGeorge Kittle's offseason has been intense. First, he learned that he played through a torn core muscle in the second half of the season. Then after the 49ers lost the Super Bowl, he had surgery to repair his core muscle.
Read more »
Why Brandon Aiyuk Posted on TikTok Saying the 49ers Don't Want him BackBrandon Aiyuk is claiming the 49ers don't want him back on the team, but there is a clear reason for him doing so and making a video of it publicly.
Read more »
Why Javon Hargrave has the Worst Contract on the 49ersThe 49ers used to be extremely judicious which players they signed to big-money deals. Something changed the past few years. They used to give out team-friendly deals only. Then they signed Javon Hargrave to a four-year, $84 million contract in 2023.
Read more »