Coming into training camp and the preseason, there were a lot of eyeballs on San Francisco 49ers cornerback Renardo Green. The last memory everyone had of him last season was head coach Kyle Shanahan laying into him on the sideline, and it was fair to wonder if the Niners would try to replace him in the offseason.
They didn’t outright replace him, but they certainly brought in some competition. Signing Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs turned up the pressure, as did the team drafting Ephesians Prysock. Green seemed to respond well to the challenge, as most reports indicated he looked good in training camp.
Yet, he unfortunately suffered a hamstring injury after San Francisco's preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, which adds some uncertainty into the cornerback competition.
Maybe it ends up just being a minor issue, and Green is good to go by Week 1. But if it lingers, then the Niners will likely have to start someone else opposite Deommodore Lenoir.
Expect it to come down to Jones and Prysock.
Both have impressed in the preseason so far. They’ve made good plays on the ball and have looked solid in pass coverage. Pysock’s wide wingspan makes him especially interesting as it seems like he can get a hand on anything.
Jones is obviously the more experienced option, and he, too, has made a number of impressive plays, even if some fans may remember the negative comments he made about quarterback Brock Purdy. If Jones has a solid year, though, then chances are fans will forget all about those ill-advised remarks.
Hobbs would be an option if he was healthy, but he’s been out with a groin injury, which has robbed him of a chance to truly compete for a chance to win the job.
If one had to guess who would replace Green, if he’s unable to go, Jones seems like the safer bet. We know Shanahan usually likes to go with veterans who have experience initially, but if Jones gets burned or doesn’t play all that well, then don’t be surprised if they turn to Prysock and give him a shot.
One hopes Green’s injury isn’t too severe because the more options at cornerback, the better. But they have to be prepared to go on without him, so it will be interesting to see who wins out between Jones and Prysock if it comes to that.
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