Training camp has already given the 49ers one encouraging sign in a competition that could shape their secondary: Renardo Green is answering the pressure.
San Francisco put Green’s starting spot on the line this offseason after adding more bodies to the cornerback room, and the idea was simple - force him to earn it. The early returns suggest that approach is working. Green has looked sharp enough to catch the attention of defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
“He's showing it. He's shown the ability to go out there and play at an elite level from off, from bump,” Morris said.
“He's shown the ability to be able to take it from the classroom to the field. He made a big time play today.
He’s showing up in a big way.
“He showed up at OTA days. He's exciting.
He's got great length. He's got great ball skills.
He's got all the ability in the world. And now as you say, time to go out there and do it.
So, let him keep continuing to do and continue to grow and continue to play and I think get the best out of players.”
That kind of praise matters this early in camp, especially for a player coming off an underwhelming season. Green needed a fast start, and he’s gotten one. The competition appears to be bringing out the version of him the 49ers were hoping to see.
Still, this is only the opening stretch. A strong handful of practices won’t lock anything in, and Green will have to keep stacking days if he wants the job to stay his. Jack Jones and rookie Ephesians Prysock are still in the mix, and if they start pushing him with strong showings of their own, the pressure will only rise.
If the battle stays close, Green should still have the edge. But that also means he can’t afford to slip. A short leash would come with the territory, and the 49ers clearly want more than a hot start before handing over the role.
For now, though, Green has done exactly what he needed to do. He’s “showing up,” he’s making plays, and he’s giving San Francisco reason to believe the competition is pulling the best out of him.
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