Kyle Shanahan Likens Deommodore Lenoir to Former Longtime 49er

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan bestowed a ton of praise onto Deommodore Lenoir including drawing a comparison to this former longtime starter.

Sep 22, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan looks on as players warm up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

A lot of excitement was generated when the news broke of the 49ers extending Deommodore Lenoir.

It is extremely rare for the 49ers to extend a player during the season. Doing it with Lenoir was a no-brainer. He's gotten better and better every season since being drafted. On Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan couldn't bestow enough praise onto Lenoir for earning his new deal.

The main reason Lenoir was able to be in this position was because the 49ers integrated him into the slot/nickel role. Lenoir had no experience of that in college, yet he managed to excel at a high level there. The difficulty of transition from the outside to the inside cannot be understated.

During Super Bowl week, I wanted to highlight the astounding job Deommodore Lenoir did transitioning from outside to inside. It’s the main reason he’s earned his contract extension.

Here is what Lenoir and DB coach Daniel Bullocks had to say when I asked them about it. 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/yAOlbQgkb1

— Jose Sanchez III (@JSanchezFN) November 13, 2024

It is why I highlighted that aspect during Super Bowl week in Feb. with Lenoir and defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks. Lenoir's successful transition and becoming as good as he is now should be recognized more than it has. His ability to play the slot starts with his mentality, which Shanahan likens to a former longtime 49er.

“He’s got a mindset very similar to [Houston Texans S] Jimmie Ward’s. Just how he plays, how much he loves the physicality, how much he can cover," Shanahan said. "But he wants to play like a linebacker and really be a part of all that stuff. And he stuck out our first day of rookie camps when he got me fined, like a lot. Because he jammed people too hard and then put it on the internet.

"That was the first time I ever got mad at him, but I was really excited about it. Despite what it took away, my kids' college tuition. But it showed we had the right type of dude and he's always been like that. The fact that he can play nickel inside and play the way he does and play and cover guys outside, are the types of guys you want in the secondary and a special type of corner.”

Ward was an amazing slot cornerback for the 49ers. He was an underrated player on the 49ers from 2019 to 2022. Lenoir got to spend his first two seasons with Ward, so it wouldn't be shocking to learn that he was influenced by him. Ward was an aggressive player who excelled in run defense.

Lenoir is doing that now and arguably more. The 49ers extended Ward after the 2019 season, so it makes sense that they retain Lenoir for the long term given they've done it for a similar player. All in all, the 49ers made a great decision in extending Lenoir now before his value increases.