Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome back to the forty nine Ers First
Speaker 1: and ten podcast, ten minutes of the most up to
Speaker 1: date forty nine Ers news First thing in the morning,
Speaker 1: I'm your host Brianna McDonald. Joining me is forty nine
Speaker 1: Ers team reporter Lindsey Palaries. Before we get into today's
Speaker 1: roster breakdown, we have some initial news. The forty nine
Speaker 1: Ers announced yesterday that wide receiver Ricky Piersol has been
Speaker 1: placed on the non football injury list. This update comes
Speaker 1: in just nine days ahead of training camp. Now, in
Speaker 1: this episode, we are continuing our roster breakdown series leading
Speaker 1: into training camp, and today we're taking a closer look
Speaker 1: at the forty nine Ers cornerbacks group. In our last episode,
Speaker 1: we provided some updates on the defensive line, so be
Speaker 1: sure to check that out if you haven't already. But
Speaker 1: as we get into the secondary, our CB room has
Speaker 1: gone through quite a few changes and addition over the
Speaker 1: off season. Lindsay, let's start with this year's draft and
Speaker 1: second round draft pick, Rinardo Green. Tell us more about
Speaker 1: the Niners' newest cornerback. What did you learn about him
Speaker 1: in your brief chat with him, and what does he
Speaker 1: bring to the team this year?
Speaker 2: Yeah, So I wanted to first highlight that with that
Speaker 2: first wave of free agent additions, the forty nine ers
Speaker 2: really zeroed in on their defensive front, and in that
Speaker 2: same way, that second wave of additions was very much
Speaker 2: focused on the secondary, particularly at the cornerback position. Ronardo
Speaker 2: Green was a second round pick out of Florida State,
Speaker 2: sixty fourth overall, and this is somebody that the forty
Speaker 2: nine ers are really excited about.
Speaker 3: He's a physical corner.
Speaker 2: Over the course of his five year collegiate career, he's
Speaker 2: played in a lot of different positions, so he's got
Speaker 2: some experience at nickelback, playing on the outside, and then
Speaker 2: also even some reps at safety. So definitely a guy
Speaker 2: that has shown he can move all around the secondary.
Speaker 2: I think he definitely flashed during the offseason workout program.
Speaker 2: That's something the Niners are really excited about to see someone.
Speaker 3: With a really great work ethic and just being.
Speaker 2: A young player really just hit the ground running in
Speaker 2: his professional career. When I was able to speak to
Speaker 2: him one on one right after he was drafted, like
Speaker 2: minutes after the call with the ownership and Kyle Shanahan
Speaker 2: and John Lynch, he really talked about how he thought
Speaker 2: his instincts, his football instincts and his athleticism were his
Speaker 2: greatest strength. He's happy to bring that to the team,
Speaker 2: and I think he's definitely an option for the forty
Speaker 2: nine ers at nickelback, which is where they definitely need
Speaker 2: help for that third cornerback spot. Giamad Or Lendor was
Speaker 2: filling in at nickelback for a lot of last season.
Speaker 2: So this, along with many other editions in the quarterback
Speaker 2: room which we'll get to give them some depth and
Speaker 2: also just some options at that spot.
Speaker 1: Now, Rinardo Green isn't the only new faces joining the
Speaker 1: group this year. The forty nine ers are also welcoming
Speaker 1: three experienced free agents in Chase Lucas from the Detroit Lions,
Speaker 1: Isaac Yadam from the New Orleans Saints, and Rocky Scene
Speaker 1: from the Baltimore Ravens. Lindsey tell us more about why
Speaker 1: the forty nine ers decided to pick up three experienced
Speaker 1: cornerbacks and free agency this offseason.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it was a little bit of what
Speaker 2: I mentioned when we were talking about Green just a
Speaker 2: second ago, is that the forty nine Ers just needed
Speaker 2: some depth at cornerback right that number three spot. Definitely
Speaker 2: up for grabs. We saw Ambry Thomas playing off the
Speaker 2: outside last season along with Tarvarius Ward, and then you
Speaker 2: had Diamadore Lenore playing at nickelback. I think when you
Speaker 2: add Isaac Yadam rok Ya scene Chase Lucas, you've got
Speaker 2: some veteran options that can be there to play in
Speaker 2: that play outside and then put Diamadour Lenhur in that
Speaker 2: nickelback position, or if you have Ronaldo Green you could
Speaker 2: plug him at the nickelback position. It just gives you
Speaker 2: options entering twenty twenty four, and that's something that the
Speaker 2: forty nine ers definitely needed.
Speaker 3: Also with those three, you have some veteran experience.
Speaker 2: I think with Chase Lucas, he was mostly a special
Speaker 2: teams guy for the Detroit Lions, but again he is
Speaker 2: listed as a cornerback and has time in the league,
Speaker 2: so still valuable experience that he brings. Isaac Yadham, I
Speaker 2: think is a very interesting addition because his best season
Speaker 2: was twenty twenty three. He really took off for the
Speaker 2: Saints after filling in for an injured player midway through
Speaker 2: the season, and he only gave up three touchdowns on
Speaker 2: five hundred and fifteen snaps very impressive, and even though
Speaker 2: only had eight starts last year, fourteen PBUs that's tied
Speaker 2: for seventh in the league. Very very impressive. And then
Speaker 2: Rokyastein was dealing with a knee injury last year. But again,
Speaker 2: just a veteran player that was with the Ravens that
Speaker 2: had a very strong defense and a good addition for
Speaker 2: the forty nine Ers.
Speaker 1: Now that we've gotten to know a little bit more
Speaker 1: about our new guys, let's cover our returners. Which players
Speaker 1: will be back in the bay for the forty nine
Speaker 1: ers defense this year.
Speaker 2: Yep. So in terms of cornerbacks, we do have a
Speaker 2: lot of younger returners. So we've got Durrell Ludor Junior
Speaker 2: entering his second season, Samuel Willmack the third who is
Speaker 2: a twenty twenty one draft pick, Ambry Thomas entering his
Speaker 2: fourth season, Keimon Hall in his sixth season, and Charvarius Ward,
Speaker 2: who is a true CB one entering his seventh season.
Speaker 2: I would consider him the veteran leader of that group.
Speaker 2: But then, like I mentioned, you've also got Diamador Lenore
Speaker 2: who played a lot of nickelback in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2: He's entering his fourth season, and I feel like, really
Speaker 2: since the end of his sophomore season, it's just been
Speaker 2: a complete upward trajectory for Lenore. Really physical player, just
Speaker 2: super enthusiastic.
Speaker 3: Passion out on the field.
Speaker 2: So I think, you know, between him and Charvarius Ward,
Speaker 2: you've got your top two CBS.
Speaker 1: Nice Now, Traviius Ward plays a crucial role in the
Speaker 1: forty nine or secondary. He's established himself as a cornerstone
Speaker 1: of our defense. He led the league and passes defended
Speaker 1: last season and earned Pro Bowl and AP second team
Speaker 1: All Pro recognition. As we head into this new twenty
Speaker 1: twenty four season, Pro Football Focus recognized Traverius Ward as
Speaker 1: one of the top three cornerbacks in the entire NFL.
Speaker 1: There analyst John Kesco wrote that War deserves more praise
Speaker 1: as one of the league's best corners. So, Lindsay, I'm
Speaker 1: just curious what your take is.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I really think he was such a
Speaker 2: lockdown corner for the forty nine ers in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2: I think, you know, obviously great displays, all the interceptions
Speaker 2: he had last year, but I always think of how
Speaker 2: he locked down DK metcalf in that Thanksgiving game against
Speaker 2: the Seahawks, and I feel like there's like no real
Speaker 2: better example of a true CB one that you want
Speaker 2: covering one of the best wide receivers in the league
Speaker 2: and absolutely like allowing him to not do very much
Speaker 2: in that game.
Speaker 3: And it was just a string of games like that.
Speaker 2: For Tarvarius Ward in twenty twenty three, and you know,
Speaker 2: I think he's someone that the younger guys really want
Speaker 2: to learn from. Ernardo Green in that very first you know,
Speaker 2: post draft interview I did with him, He's like, I
Speaker 2: watch cutups of Charvarius Ward. So I think when you've
Speaker 2: got young guys that are enthusiastic about learning from a
Speaker 2: tried and too true veteran like that, I mean, only
Speaker 2: good is going to come of that.
Speaker 1: Yeah, definitely. Now, as we quickly approach training camp, what
Speaker 1: are the key storylines or position battles that you're watching
Speaker 1: closely within the cornerback group.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I think it's for that that third cornerback position. Right,
Speaker 2: you had diamidor Lenore, who can play both at nickelback
Speaker 2: and outside really take one for the team and play
Speaker 2: at that nickelback position in twenty twenty three. So I
Speaker 2: think ideally if you get somebody like Bernardo Green that
Speaker 2: ends up being ready to play that nickelback position, then
Speaker 2: you can put diamidor Lenore on the outside, or you
Speaker 2: find an Isaac Gaham who can play on the outside,
Speaker 2: plug in diamidor Lenore again at the nickelback position. I
Speaker 2: think it just depends playing on the strengths of the
Speaker 2: new talent that you've got in the building, seeing where
Speaker 2: the pieces fit. So not necessarily a position battle, but
Speaker 2: more of like where can we have the most successful fits.
Speaker 1: Yeah, now, going into camp again, are there any injury
Speaker 1: concerns or recovery updates from players that fans should be
Speaker 1: aware of heading into training camp.
Speaker 2: Yeah. We talked a little bit about Charvarius Ward, who
Speaker 2: is dealing with a core muscle injury.
Speaker 3: He had surgery in the off season for it.
Speaker 2: From everything we've heard directly from him over the course
Speaker 2: of the off season workout program, he feels like he's
Speaker 2: going to be on track to be ready for training camp. Obviously,
Speaker 2: with injuries, you never like want to feel so stuck
Speaker 2: on timelines because things happen right it's just the natural
Speaker 2: recovery process. But barring any setbacks, it sounds like he
Speaker 2: will be ready for training camp.
Speaker 3: That's obviously what you.
Speaker 2: Want, but we're just a few days out from training camp,
Speaker 2: which is crazy.
Speaker 3: So we'll have more.
Speaker 2: Clarity on that as soon as players report, which is
Speaker 2: also coming up Tuesday, very very soon, so we'll hear
Speaker 2: more from them. I think that's probably the most significant
Speaker 2: injury to the cornerback room that I would keep an
Speaker 2: eye on.
Speaker 1: All right, thank you, Lindsey, but faithful that will do
Speaker 1: it for today. Look out for more forty nine Ers
Speaker 1: roster breakdown episodes leading up to training camp on first
Speaker 1: and ten. Follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to
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Speaker 1: forty nine ers news. Also turn on the notifications for
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Speaker 1: for tuning in.