A couple of seasons ago, when the San Francisco 49ers faced the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 NFC ChampionshipIt was a tough job for the Niners’ secondary. Matthew Stafford completed 31 of his 45 passes for 337 yards.
Safety Jaquiski Tartt takes the brunt of the blame for a dropped interception, but nickel corner K’Waun Williams allowed nine catches on 11 attempts for 85 yards, four first downs and a touchdown. Ambry Thomas was forced into action as a rookie. He competed, which was all you could ask for, and did a nice job limiting big plays. But he did allow seven of nine receptions to be completed.
At the time, Emmanuel Moseley was the team’s best cornerback. In that game, Moseley allowed receptions on all but one of his seven passes, for four first downs and 96 yards. Both safeties also allowed explosive plays in the passing game.
The secondary has evolved since then. At safety, Jimmie Ward and Tartt were generally in the right place at the right time, but each player’s lack of ball skills reduced the secondary’s potential.
Ji’Ayir Brown quickly proved he has a knack for the football, while Talanoa Hufanga’s All-Pro season is filled with plays where he does his best to control the ball. There are plays where both can find themselves out of position, but the risk is worth it when it can lead to turnovers or cause havoc.
Charvarius Ward has been one of the most valuable players in the NFL over the past two seasons. In 2023, Mooney’s performance earned him second-team All-Pro honors. Ward left Week 14 with an injury but returned the following week and did not miss any significant time at any other point in the season.
The 49ers have had success by enticing teams to throw passes Ward’s way. He was the most targeted cornerback in the NFL last season, but had the sixth-lowest passer rating allowed among cornerbacks with at least 70 passes thrown. There’s immense value in a cornerback who limits big plays without needing help from a safety, but who can also go up and make a tackle.
That’s why Ward is in a position to get another extension and a big reason why PFF listed the 49ers as the best team. second best secondary school In the NFL:
The 49ers’ secondary doesn’t feature any household names, but the team consistently puts together a unit that makes life difficult for opposing quarterbacks and receivers. The group is led by Charvarius Districtwho earned an 86.5 coverage grade in 2023. The Niners also added Isaac Yiadom (80.4) to cover the slot and selected a couple of players in the draft to generate good depth in the room.
Yiadom is the wild card. If he can give the 49ers 80 percent of what he gave the Saints last season, he has a chance to be the best secondary under Kyle Shanahan. Like Ward, Yiadom was often left isolated in man coverage in New Orleans last season.
He was also effective at limiting big plays. Yiadom ranked 29th in EPA per target, just below star cornerback Denzel Ward. Cleveland BrownsYiadom finished fourth in completion percentage allowed on a team with a worse pass rush than the Niners.
Cornerback is the most unstable position in the NFL. Results vary from year to year, but Yiadom projects as an ideal player, with the size and speed that defensive backs coaches look for. His biggest issue is staying healthy.
The queen on the secondary chessboard is Deommodore Lenoir, who has had success defending wide receivers at the nickel or outside-the-numbers position. He’s the type of player you want closer to the ball, so he can be disruptive, making Yiadom’s health imperative for this unit to reach its full potential.
Rookies Renardo Green and Malik Mustapha are insurance policies in case the injury plague hits the secondary. Both have plenty of experience and versatility to play a variety of roles.
A healthy Hunfanga gives the 49ers a dynamic, creative duo they haven’t had in a long time. If Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson embody the era when safeties could knock out receivers without repercussions, Hufanga and Brown encapsulate the importance of film study and why being one step ahead of your opponent can make up for physical characteristics.
Those two have a chance to be special, as does the entire secondary, but it’s always about health and whether this team can last 20 games. We have no reason to believe they won’t be back in the top three defenses if they can.