49ers 90-in-90: Do the numbers match the eye test for Deommodore Lenoir?

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 17: Deommodore Lenoir #2 of the San Francisco 49ers gets set during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on January 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Deommodore Lenoir played over 1,000 snaps on the perimeter at cornerback last season. He was primarily a nickel in 2024, while splitting time at both spots in 2023. It hadn't been since 2022 that Lenoir had all but exclusively played on the outside for the San Francisco 49ers.

That was back when Lenoir was a second-year pro. He was targeted 66 times, allowed a 62.1 percent completion percentage, and 8.9 yards per target. Lenoir had five pass breakups, 79 tackles, and nine for loss.

Despite playing the same position, Lenoir's role was much different in 2022 than in 2025, when he was targeted only 47 times despite playing every game. Lenoir actually played 1.5% more man coverage snaps last season, but the amount of time he spent in underneath zones was drastically different than when DeMeco Ryans was calling plays.

According to Sports Info Solutions, Lenoir was targeted 47 times this past season, allowing 6.7 yards per target with three pass breakups and a pair of interceptions. That same site had Lenoir ranked among the most valuable defensive backs in the NFL last year. Lenoir's total points saved" metric was better than those of Cooper DeJean, Derek Stingley Jr., Christian Gonzalez, and Kyle Hamilton.

Basic Info

Age:26

Experience:5 accrued seasons

Height:5'10

Weight:199 pounds

Cap Status

Lenoir no longer has any guaranteed salary on his contract. The 49ers still owe him $7.8 of his $13 million signing bonus. That'll be paid over the next three seasons in increments of $2.6 million. Option, per-game roster, and workout bonuses make up where the rest of Lenoir's money comes from. The team option is the big one at $4.2 million.

If the team declines that option next offseason, they'll save $19.85 million in cap space. The same is true in 2028 with a post-June 1 designation. Essentially, Lenoir is on a year-by-year deal.

Do the numbers match the eye test?

When you were watching the 49ers defense last season, did it ever feel like they had a top-five corner on the field?

Lenoir totaled six games in which he allowed 10 or fewer yards when targeted in coverage. Only three cornerbacks accomplished that feat last season. One of them, Jack Jones, signed with the 49ers this offseason.

Next Gen Stats tracks tight coverage," where you're within 1 yard of the wide receiver, and it doesn't matter whether you're targeted or not. It's another stat that favored Lenoir. Through 12 weeks of the season, he was seventh in the NFL in that metric. Renardo Green was fifth.

However, when it came around to matching up against A.J. Brown, Lenoir looked outmatched. He was targeted nine times in the Wild Card round. That 24.3 percent target rate was a season high. Lenoir allowed a season-high six receptions for 55 yards. Brown could have had a better day if he had caught the ball on a critical passing down that changed the game.

Despite being the second-lowest targeted cornerback during the regular season, Lenoir allowed 7.1 yards lined up as an outside cornerback, which was 1.1 yards more than his season in 2024. Lenoir also tied for the most penalties among cornerbacks with 10.

The numbers suggest Lenoir had an above-average season. The eye test says the 49ers' defense was a sieve from top to bottom in 2025. The expectation is that everybody benefits from the return of Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, and Fred Warner. The addition of Osa Odighizuwa should only take pressure off the cornerbacks.

But you still need cornerbacks who can win 1-on-1 against the very best in the NFL. Lenoir only had 13 man coverage targets last season. He allowed 15.5 yards per reception on those and did not have enough competitive reps to lead you to believe he's in the same group as the upper echelon defensive backs in the league.

Will that change under Raheem Morris alongside a healthier defense?