Consistent performers on the San Francisco 49ers defense have been hard to find this season.
Nick Bosa continues to be one of the best pass-rushers in the league, while linebacker Fred Warner continues his ascension towards the Hall Of Fame.But outside of that, very few players have lived up to their often high-priced billing in the defensive unit.
Perhaps one of the most glaring of those is cornerback Charvarius Ward, who turned in probably his best season as a pro last season, but through the opening six games of this year has, through a combination of injury and poor play, looked a shadow of what the Niners would've expected coming into the season.
Fortunately, his partner in the secondary, former fifth-round draft choice Deommodore Lenoir, has probably produced his best play in his stead.
He's been one of the few reliable parts of a leaking defensive front through the early parts of the season, and backed that up most recently with a tough, gritty night in coverage against the Seattle Seahawks phenom wideout D.K. Metcalf.
That's not the only example this season, as Lenoir has also shown up well against the likes of top NFL receivers like Garrett Wilson, Justin Jefferson, and Marvin Harrison Jr. as well.
This represents the peak of Lenoir's growth as a 49ers player. While optimism surrounded him following his selection out of Oregon in 2021, he's had to plow a tough road to finally get a starting job, achieving it midway through his second season, where he was a constant presence in the "slot" or nickel back position.
It was last year, though, that he truly took a step forward, going from a player that some fans might question or be concerned about facing top stars like Metcalf or Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, to a player who could be relied on in almost any situation. Lenoir had some excellent games last year, and his post-season in particular was a highlight.
Finishing the year with three interceptions and 10 pass breakups, Lenoir had truly arrived as a key starter on the team, and it was no surprise that he was reputed to have been contacted by the team about an extension during the offseason.
Unfortunately for San Francisco, Lenoir apparently declined talks, choosing to enter the last year of his contract and take a bet on his continued growth as a player. That bet looks to have paid off, as his form continues to improve, and he's in line for what will surely be a massive contract when free agency comes around in March.
The problem for the 49ers is two-fold.
Firstly, the team may not have the capability to pay him at the level he deserves. Not only are there multiple free agents potentially leaving the team at the end of the season, including Lenoir himself, cornerback partner Ward, and starting offensive lineman Aaron Banks, among others (including secondary-mate Talanoa Hufanga, who was thought to previously be in line for a lucrative extension of his own), but the 49ers also have some deals with other players still under contract to pay, including the looming mega-deal for quarterback Brock Purdy.
The second part is a little more abstract, but nonetheless important.
It can be easier to re-sign players who you have drafted and developed yourself, be that for reasons such as emotional attachment to the team, or just that you get the first shot at signing them. But a problem starts when the rest of the league starts to notice how good a player you have.
This seems to be happening with Lenoir, as he's drawing praise from a lot of quarters (and the continued strong play in primetime games won't hurt either). But also, he seems to be finding his voice with the media in terms of self-promotion: witness his quite amusing trolling of D.K Metcalf following Week 6's victory.
With so many teams taking their cue from the 49ers' continued success and noticing Lenoir's role in it, it's not hard to imagine a team running a similar defensive scheme -- which is quite a few across the league -- stepping in to offer a huge contract San Francisco can't match.
The 49ers may get a deal done, as they have shown a willingness to keep homegrown talents, after all. But it feels very much like the deal would be done by now if it was going to get done. Given the team's propensity to squeeze every cap dollar they can, it would sadly not be a surprise to see Lenoir pack up and move on at season's end.
Hopefully, it'll be with a Super Bowl ring.
How do you feel about Lenoir's future with the 49ers?
