This 49ers cornerback is on the hot seat as the team starts OTAs

The San Francisco 49ers' secondary is a unit that always seems to have at least one or two question marks.

There is going to be a stiff competition to see who will get playing time, and one cornerback is on the hotseat as the team begins OTAs: Ambry Thomas.

Ambry Thomas is on the hot seat as 49ers start OTAs

The Niners' cornerback situation was not terrible last season, but it was also not elite. Charvarius Ward had a stellar All-Pro season, and Deomodore Lenoir played solid in the nickel slot, but the Niners got inconsistent play from Thomas on the outside.

Drafted in 2021, Thomas has always been a bit shaky. He has had some real bright spots, but he has also had games where he gets torched and is clearly the weak link in the secondary.

To address this, the 49ers added cornerbacks in both free agency and the draft. In free agency they signed Rock Ya-Sin, Isaac Yiadom, and Chase Lucas. Ya-Sin and Yiadom both have experience playing on the outside which definitely puts pressure on Thomas.

Add on the fact that the team drafted Renardo Green, another cornerback who played predominantly on the outside in college, and the pressure on Thomas is ramped up even further.

It seems like as of right now, Ward on the outside and Lenoir on the inside are safe bets. But the battle for the cornerback who will play on the outside opposite Ward figures to be a really stiff competition.

That is why it is important for Thomas to have a very strong showing in OTAs if he wants to have significant playing time as he did last season. The fact that the Niners have brought in so many cornerbacks is not exactly a vote of confidence in his play.

Thus far, the reviews are not great. Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated reported that Thomas had a rough start to OTAs. It is still early, but it is not a great sign for Thomas if he wants to make the team and have significant playing time.

Cornerback will be one of the more interesting battles to watch this season, and Ambry Thomas is squarely on the hot seat at the start of OTAs.

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