49ers Trade Rumored Amid Cornerback’s Bizarre Arrest

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday after a strange sequence of events reportedly involving Lenoir not giving up keys to a vehicle and refusing to let peace officers conduct a search.

The investigation is ongoing, so it is unclear whether or not Lenoir, 25, will face any punishment by the NFL or the 49ers.

The bizarre incident comes in awful timing as the young defensive back has turned into a reliable piece of the Niners defense. Last season, the former fifth-round draft pick broke out with a career-high 85 tackles, two interceptions, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble in 15 games played.

Now amid his legal troubles, the 49ers could be forced to pivot to someone else filling the starting lineup. The problem? San Francisco does not have much depth to work with at cornerback.

Pro Bowler Charvarius Ward, a starter last season, left for the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. Tre Brown has just 13 starts in four seasons. And Upton Stout is entering his rookie season. The expected starter opposite of Lenoir is Renardo Green, who is entering just Year 2 of his NFL career and has only seven starts to his name.

Depending on how Lenoir's investigation unfolds, San Fran could be in the market to make a trade for a cornerback. CBS Sports names Tampa Bay Buccaneers starter Jamel Dean as a possibility.

"Dean's six-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers includes a Super Bowl title and big-money extension, but the veteran has been frequently mentioned as a potential cut or trade candidate due to a $15 million 2025 cap hit, almost all of which the Bucs could clear from their books by dealing Dean elsewhere," Cody Benjamin writes.

Dean would become the Niners' most proven cornerback if he is required, and it doesn't seem like a daunting task to do so. San Francisco has the second-most money to spend with over $45 million in cap space and Dean also has no more guaranteed money on his contract.

San Francisco could easily find room for Dean financially, but it'd have to come at the price of trading draft capital.

If we get definitive word on Lenoir's future, this trade becomes a lot more enticing as Dean would fill the void in the starting lineup left by Lenoir's suspension. But if the Niners were to pull the trigger prematurely and Lenoir isn't suspended, the lost draft picks would hurt. However, the duo of Lenoir and Dean together still profiles as a roster upgrade.

The 49ers remain at a point where they are good enough to compete for a championship when fully healthy. Defensively, the team would love to have Lenoir return as the secondary is by far the weakest link on this roster.

A trade could change that, but in the meantime, we'll have to wait and see what happens following his arrest.