{"id":10136,"date":"2024-12-12T09:05:53","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T09:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=10136"},"modified":"2024-12-12T09:05:53","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T09:05:53","slug":"breaking-49ers-predicted-to-lose-pro-bowl-cornerback-in-free-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=10136","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: 49ers Predicted to Lose Pro Bowl Cornerback in Free Agency"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Charvarius-Ward-e1733899068769.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" alt=\"Charvarius Ward\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\" class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div class=\"c-post-image-caption-text\">San Francisco 49ers&#8217; cornerback Charvarius Ward looks on prior to a game against the Washington Commanders<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nfl\/san-francisco-49ers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\">\u00a0San Francisco 49ers<\/a>\u00a0might be playing playoff football in 2025, but whether they make the dance or not, the team has multiple tough decisions to make this offseason.<\/p>\n<p>They plan to sign quarterback\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nfl\/san-francisco-49ers\/the-49ers-still-plan-to-sign-brock-purdy-to-contract-extension\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\">Brock Purdy<\/a>\u00a0to a massive contract extension, which could have a domino effect on the rest of the roster.<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">One analyst predicts the 49ers will watch a former Pro Bowl cornerback return to the AFC West after three seasons with the team.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_1_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-1 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_1\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Chargers to Sign 49ers Pro Bowl Cornerback<\/h2>\n<p><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/articles\/10145871-nfl-team-needs-prioritizing-every-rosters-biggest-weaknesses-before-week-15\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0envisions the Los Angeles Chargers signing 49ers\u2019 former Pro Bowl cornerback Charvarius Ward in the upcoming offseason. Ballentine wrote the Chargers may not be committed to Asante Samuel Jr long-term, which could open the door for Ward\u2019s acquisition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cThe cornerback position\u00a0<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">is going to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0be one of the most interesting for the Chargers this offseason. Asante Samuel Jr. is a free agent.\u00a0<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">He wasn\u2019t drafted by the current regime, and he suffered a season-ending injury after four games this season.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_2_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-2 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_2\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ward, 28, would be a key veteran addition to the Chargers\u2019 defense. Despite already ranking second in the NFL with an\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/premium.pff.com\/nfl\/teams\/2024\/REGPO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">88.6 coverage grade<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, Los Angeles lacks a proven commodity in the cornerback room.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ballentine points out Ward\u2019s history of success and playoff experience as reasons the Chargers could target him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While Ward is having a down year, much of that can\u00a0<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">be attributed<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.today.com\/parents\/charvarius-ward-daughter-rcna177882\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">off-the-field tragedy.\u00a0<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">He is a former Super Bowl champion and has averaged a 72.7 coverage grade the last three seasons. Banking on Ward to bounce back in 2025 would be a smart move.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_3_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-3 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_3\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If the Chargers do sign Ward, it would leave a hole in the 49ers\u2019 secondary. While they have already extended breakout star Deommodore Lenoir and handed second-round pick Renardo Green a starting job, the 49ers would need to replace their starting cornerback.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bleacherreport.com\/articles\/10145871-nfl-team-needs-prioritizing-every-rosters-biggest-weaknesses-before-week-15\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Options to Replace Ward<\/h2>\n<p>Ward, 28, would be a key veteran addition to the Chargers\u2019 defense. The 49ers only have three cornerbacks under contract through 2025 \u2014 Lenoir, Green, and second-year player Darrell Luter Jr.<\/p>\n<p>Luter Jr. could get the first crack at the starting job. But after being placed on Injured Reserve for a second straight season, his durability is concerning. San Francisco likes Luter Jr, but can they trust a player with 67 defensive snaps to replace a Pro Bowler?<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_4_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-4 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_4\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A wild card option would be re-signing former third-round pick Ambry Thomas. Thomas has seen many ups and downs throughout his 49ers tenure. He has been trusted to start in multiple NFC Championships, yet the team has never committed to him long-term.<\/p>\n<p>The team could also bring back Isaac Yiadom, who has started four games after signing a one-year deal last offseason.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_5_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-5 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_5\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>San Francisco could also turn to the NFL Draft. The method worked this season as Green leads the secondary with a 76.9 coverage grade. His rookie season success could lead San Francisco to try their hand, once again, at a first-year player.<\/p>\n<p>Ward\u2019s down season could open the door for a return to San Francisco, but with other top-priority free agents, he might be in the final stretch of his 49ers tenure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>San Francisco 49ers&#8217; cornerback Charvarius Ward looks on prior to a game against the Washington Commanders &nbsp; The\u00a0San Francisco 49ers\u00a0might be playing playoff football in 2025, but&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hot-news","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING: 49ers Predicted to Lose Pro Bowl Cornerback in Free Agency - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=10136\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING: 49ers Predicted to Lose Pro Bowl Cornerback in Free Agency - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"San Francisco 49ers&#8217; 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