49ers snap counts from Week 7 loss to Chiefs reveal major change on defensive side of the ball
The San Francisco 49ers have already gotten plenty from this year's crop of rookies, and the snap counts from their Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs point to a major change on the defensive side of the ball involving one of the top draft picks. For most of the season across the first […]
The San Francisco 49ers have already gotten plenty from this year's crop of rookies, and the snap counts from their Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs point to a major change on the defensive side of the ball involving one of the top draft picks.
For most of the season across the first six weeks, the 49ers had relied on veteran free agent signing Isaac Yiadom as the third corner to play on the outside in their nickel package, in which Deommodore Lenoir moves inside to the slot.
With Charvarius Ward injured in Week 6, the 49ers used both Yiadom and rookie second-round pick Renardo Green for the 36-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Yiadom played 77 of the 78 defensive snaps as he filled in for Ward as a full-time starter, with Green serving as the third cornerback and making several key plays including a critical fourth-quarter interception.
And Green's performance looks to have seen him elevated up the depth chart.
49ers go Green
Ward returned from a knee injury against Kansas City and, like Lenoir, played all 70 of the snaps. Yet it was Green who was on the field for the bulk of the snaps at third corner. The former Florida State defender played 44 snaps, while Yiadom featured on just five.
Green has been very impressive in his brief time on the field. Per Sports Info Solutions, Green ranks seventh among corners with at least 10 targets in Expected Points Added per target allowed (-0.44), while he is tied fifth in positive play rate allowed (27.3%).
After his strong start, it appears the 49ers are ready to rely on him for the rest of the season as a key player in the defensive backfield.
Winters is here
For several weeks now, 49ers fans have been clamoring for second-year linebacker Dee Winters to see the field ahead of veteran De'Vondre Campbell, who has struggled to fill the void left by Dre Greenlaw's Achilles injury.
They didn't quite get their wish against the Chiefs, with Campbell playing 49 snaps to Winters' 39, but it is clear the 49ers are ready to place more faith in the 2023 sixth-round pick, who has a substantial edge over Campbell in terms of speed and athletic ability.
Winters had some issues with missed tackles, most notably on a backbreaking 33-yard second-half scramble from Patrick Mahomes, but he still registered two stops that represented a failure for the Kansas City offense, per Pro Football Focus.
The defeat to the Chiefs wasn't a game from which the 49ers could take too many positives, but San Francisco having the belief in two more recent draft picks to play significant roles is definitely an intriguing development.
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It would make little sense.
