The San Francisco 49ers signed their cornerback, Deommodore Lenoir, to a five-year contract extension. This deal is a great move that extends the Niners' championship window by bolstering their secondary.
The 49ers have historically had a somewhat shaky secondary under head coach Kyle Shanahan. Their cornerback corps has been much better in recent years with Lenoir and Charvarius Ward, though.
Ward was an All-Pro last season, and Lenoir has improved by leaps and bounds in the last few years. This season in particular, he has truly stood out. His shutdown of Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf earlier this season was a signature moment, reminiscent of Ward doing the same thing against Metcalf in 2023.
Going into 2024, it seemed very likely that either Ward or Lenoir were going to be playing their final season in San Francisco. With the Niners having so much money on the books and still having to pay quarterback Brock Purdy this upcoming offseason, it seemed like the 49ers would not be able to bring both of them back.
Now, the Niners have made their choice between the two by extending Lenoir.
It makes sense because Lenoir is still just 25 years old, while Ward is 28. The fact they are going to have Lenoir on the team for the rest of his 20s is massive and extends their championship window.
Pretty much every championship team needs at least one exceptionally good corner on the team, and Lenoir fits that bill. Having him at one corner spot with rookie Renaedo Green playing well in his first season as a pro should get 49ers fans excited about the prospects of their secondary going forward. Add in the promise of second-year pro Ji’Ayir Brown and rookie Malik Mustapha at safety, and there is the potential for San Francisco to have a strong secondary for the next several seasons.
Defense needs to be a strength for the Niners if they want to remain competitive. The fact their secondary has so much promise is a very good sign.
Being able to keep Lenoir on the team was huge to keep a major piece of their defense and should go a long way towards keeping San Francisco competitive going forward.