49ers secure secondary future with Renardo Green pick after gifting Patrick Mahomes extra help
The San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl dreams fell apart for two main reasons, their receivers struggling to beat man coverage and the right side of their offensive line failing to hold up in crunch time. After selecting a true separator at wide receiver in the first round in Florida's Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers elected to […]
The San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl dreams fell apart for two main reasons, their receivers struggling to beat man coverage and the right side of their offensive line failing to hold up in crunch time.
After selecting a true separator at wide receiver in the first round in Florida's Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers elected to bypass the chance to address a long-term issue at right tackle. Instead, they set their secondary up for long-term success with the selection of Florida State cornerback Renardo Green with the 64th overall pick.
The 49ers were on the clock at 63rd overall, but traded that pick to the Kansas City Chiefs, gaining a fifth-rounder (173rd overall) in exchange for a sixth-rounder (211) in the deal.
That deal allowed the Chiefs to fix their problem at tackle with the selection of BYU's Kingsley Suamataia, who visited the 49ers on a top-30 visit.
Instead of making Suamataia a likely immediate starter on their O-Line, the 49ers decided to ensure they have a successor at corner next offseason when starters Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir are set for free agency.
Green's play style is reminiscent of that of Ward and Lenoir. He shares their tenacity, with his aggressiveness coming to the fore at the catch point and the desire he displays to help in run support.
Last season, Green's ability to mirror and match and his play at the catch point allowed him to rack up 13 pass breakups. More on-ball production in terms of interceptions will be a focus for him at the next level, having only recorded one in his collegiate career.
Questions will be asked as to why the 49ers eschewed the chance to address a more immediate need on the offensive line. However, by picking Green, the Niners have drafted a year ahead and given themselves a potential solution to a 2025 problem while also striking a deal to gain another pick in a round that has traditionally been very kind to them. They will likely view that us a huge win.
