SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers received some potential reinforcements this week when a pair of promising fifth-round rookies, cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. and defensive end Robert Beal Jr., returned to practice.
Both got off to good starts in the spring before summertime injuries halted their developments. Luter suffered a hyperextended knee, which landed him on the physically unable to perform list. Beal strained his hamstring early in training camp, then reinjured it upon his return, which led to his starting the season on injured reserve.
Advertisement
Earlier this week the 49ers opened the three-week practice window for the two rookies as well as for cornerback Samuel Womack III, who went on IR after suffering a knee injury in Week 1.
The three happen to play positions at which there have been depth issues in the first half of the season.
The 49ers were so desperate for some heat off the edge opposite Nick Bosa that they traded for two veteran defensive ends, Randy Gregory and Chase Young. The team also reportedly was interested in adding a cornerback before the trade deadline though no deals were made at that spot.
GO DEEPER
What's wrong with the 49ers defense? Does Chase Young fix their issues?
As it stands now, the top three cornerbacks are Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir and Isaiah Oliver, a bigger-bodied nickel cornerback who doesn’t always match up well with slot receivers. Oliver has given up three touchdowns so far this season — including two in the Week 8 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals — and opposing quarterbacks have a 109.5 passer rating when targeting him.
One of the 49ers’ options at nickel cornerback has been to move Lenoir inside against faster, shiftier receivers. When that occurs, Ambry Thomas enters the game at outside cornerback, which has served as a signal for the opponent to attack that side of the field. Quarterbacks were 12-of-16 passes when targeting Thomas early in the season. He’s only played four defensive snaps in the last three weeks.
At one point the team thought veteran Anthony Brown could be the solution as the third outside cornerback. But the longtime Dallas Cowboys starter ended up playing just one defensive snap for the 49ers before being released last week.
Which suggests Luter at least has a chance of catching on. The 49ers took him with the earlier of their two fifth-round picks because they liked his potential to play press coverage in defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ aggressive secondary as well as his maturity. Luter played two seasons at Pearl River Community College in Mississippi before spending the last three at South Alabama.
Advertisement
Luter said Wednesday he thought he got off to a good start in the spring because the 49ers’ system is similar to what he played at South Alabama and that it highlights his strengths.
“Things were just becoming a lot easier in a way — understanding the concepts, the formations, the plays, what we’re looking for on certain plays,” he said. “It was all good.”
He said he spent his time on PUP studying Ward and the team’s other cornerbacks.
“I watch all those guys,” he said. “I pick up on every note. I talk to them constantly, just trying to pick their brains on things — what they’re seeing on certain plays.”
The 49ers liked Beal for the way he explodes off the line of scrimmage. He was an outside linebacker at Georgia, which meant he rushed the passer from a two-point stance and often dropped into coverage. With the 49ers, he rushes with his hand in the dirt and rarely is needed in coverage.
“I played defensive end in high school and feel like I’m back doing what I love to do,” Beal said Wednesday. “I like the three-point stance better.”
Robert Beal Jr. injured his hamstring early in training camp and then reinjured it after he returned, leading to his starting his first NFL season on injured reserve. (Michael Zagaris / San Francisco 49ers / Getty Images)Said Bosa when asked about Beal: “He seems like he’s really explosive, obviously fast. But he also looks physical and strong, which is kind of what you need in this defense. If he just uses his God-given ability, he seems like he could be a fit. But it will take him time, I’m sure.”
The practice window for Beal, Luter and Womack will last 21 days. At that point, the team either must add the players to the active roster or shut them down for good this season.
The 49ers have five defensive ends — Bosa, Young, Gregory, Clelin Ferrell and Drake Jackson — on the active roster, and it might take an injury to one or two for Beal to see action as a rookie. Meanwhile, the veteran-laden 49ers have been stingy about playing any of their rookies this season. Seventh-round pick Ronnie Bell’s 94 snaps, for example, lead San Francisco’s rookies, and the receiver only has been targeted four times so far.
GO DEEPER
49ers minutia minute: What the snap counts say about first half of the season
Still, the team has at least nine more games to play, and the 49ers want to get their rookies acclimated so they’ll have a shot if they’re needed.
Advertisement
“The little that they did practice this summer we saw two really good players that we’re excited to have,” Kyle Shanahan said of Luter and Beal. “They’re healthy now and this will be their first time getting into (in-season practices). Hopefully, they can get a number of practices in so they can get used to the NFL and how we do it. But they’re guys that we’re looking forward to being here.”
Odds and ends
• Left tackle Trent Williams missed Wednesday’s practice as he continues to deal with an ankle sprain suffered in Week 6 in Cleveland. Shanahan said Williams didn’t have a dreaded high ankle sprain but previous injuries to the ankle have made the current issue more complicated. Williams was later seen doing work on a side field, and Shanahan said the “hope” is that the veteran left tackle takes part in Thursday’s session, which is the most important of the week.
• Left guard Aaron Banks (toe) and receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III (illness) also missed practice, and Jackson (knee) was limited in the session. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (shoulder) and receiver Deebo Samuel (shoulder) were full go.
New guy Chase Young certainly passes the eyeball test. He’s expected to have a prominent role Sunday in Jacksonville… pic.twitter.com/spZQVqjHwE
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) November 8, 2023
• Young went through his first full practice with his new team Wednesday. Shanahan said if Young picks up the defense as expected he’ll be on the field “a good bit” Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
(Top photo of Darrell Luter Jr.: Michael Zagaris / San Francisco 49ers / Getty Images)
“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, is on sale now. Order it here.
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57lGlrbnBnZnxzfJFsZmppX2WFcICYnqmsZZSWv7Oxy6Vkpa2kmr9uvs6bnKusXZeyoriO