Deommodore Lenoir was recently handed a lucrative extension.
Lenoir signed a five-year, $92 million extension on November 13 in recognition of his outstanding play at cornerback since 2022.
Congratulations are more than due to Lenoir, who has continually improved since being drafted in 2021.
He is now arguably the most important member of the 49ers’ secondary. Beyond those obvious congratulations, Lenoir’s extension brings up two key talking points.
Firstly, Lenoir’s success is a testament to the excellent drafting by Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch in the later rounds of NFL drafts.
This talking point is not up for debate. Lenoir, George Kittle, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, D.J. Jones, Colton McKivitz, Jauan Jennings and – of course – Brock Purdy have all been drafted in the fifth round or later and become multi-year starters or better.
That unlikely rate of late-round success has been absolutely crucial to the 49ers’ longevity as a Super Bowl contender. It likely needs to continue in future drafts if the 49ers’ window is to extend far beyond 2024.
Salary cap a looming concern
The other talking point arising from the decision to extend Lenoir relates to the Niners’ management of the salary cap.
Lenoir absolutely deserves his contract, as does every other draftee whom Shanahan and Lynch have extended since George Kittle signed his extension in 2020.
The question is more around whether the 49ers themselves can afford to keep all of these stars, – alongside recent expensive free agent signings including Charvarius Ward and Javon Hargrave.
The looming contract due to quarterback Brock Purdy further complicates matters. As the 49ers cap becomes increasingly top-heavy, questions about the depth of talent on their roster are easier to ask and harder to answer.
The indifferent – at best – contributions from many of their role players adds weight to the argument of those criticising the team building strategy of Shanahan and Lynch.
Should the Niners’ top brass move on from some of their more expensive players to enable the acquisition of better depth across their roster?
It is a tough question to answer. Niners fans would surely have a hard time moving on from any of their stars. However, it may be necessary to extend their championship window.
This article will close with a final tip of the hat to Lenoir. He has been superb for San Francisco, has outperformed his draft stock and expectations, and deserves every penny of his extension. Congratulations D-Mo!
