Getty Kyle Shanahan talks with 49ers GM John Lynch during the week of the 2020 Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers only have one interception through the first six games. And it’s by linebacker Dre Greenlaw.
Not one member of the defensive back unit — from veterans Josh Norman, Jason Verrett, Dre Kirkpatrick, Jimmie Ward or rookies Ambry Thomas and Deommodore Lenoir — have snatched the football from the sky. And according to Pro Football Focus, five different 49er defensive backs have surrendered a pass of 42 yards or more while the unit as a whole has surrendered 10 aerial touchdowns.
Is one Hall of Fame safety who’s now the general manager of the 49ers panicking? And calling for sweeping changes?
John Lynch is refusing to press the panic button, which he avoided in his appearance on the Thursday, October 28, edition of the “Tolbert, Kruger and Brooks” show.
“We believe in the guys that we have,” Lynch bluntly said.
But…”We’ve just got to start getting it done.”
Lynch Still Confident in 2 Veteran CBs
Two members of the CB room are a combined 65 years old.
And Norman, 33, is tied for first in allowing the most touchdowns at three (Azeez Al-Shaair also has surrendered the same number). On the opposite side Kirkpatrick, age 32, allowed a 28-yard TD in the 30-18 Sunday Night Football loss to the Indianapolis Colts and received a 35.8 coverage grade by PFF after the game. Kirkpatrick was the nearest defender on the game’s last touchdown by Michael Pittman II when he outjumped the veteran CB:
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Lynch brought the veterans in due to Verrett’s ACL injury in September. Lynch was asked the burning question: Did he do enough, as a GM, to bring in the added depth in the defensive backfield?
“I know it’s easy after you’ve lost a couple for people to start thinking that (you didn’t do enough),” Lynch stated. “But you know? I think we fortified it with going out and getting a guy like Josh Norman, a guy like Dre Kirkpatrick.”
But where do the rookie CB’s stand in all this? After a fast start, Lenoir hasn’t seen playing time since the Week 3 Green Bay Packers game. Thomas, who was drafted in the third round, only played nine snaps in the season opener at Detroit. Lynch was also asked about the first-year corners.
“You talk about the rookies, you’re right,” Lynch continued. “Lenoir was playing well early, and he’s kind of going through the little rookie issues that rookies sometimes do in this league. And we’re looking forward to getting him back out there, and at some point, getting Ambry out there as well.”
The Yellow Marker Has Come Out Often on the DBs
Penalties, particularly pass interference, has plagued the 49ers.
Of the defense’s 22 penalty calls, 17 has come from the secondary.
On Wednesday in preparation of the Chicago Bears’ Sunday matchup, there was this clip captured by NBC Sports Bay Area on 49ers that showed how the ‘Niners were aiming to correct their PI problems.
49ers DBs working on jump balls to try to help reduce PI penalties
Lynch Confident, But Hopes for Ball-Hawks
There’s a litany of problems that surface whenever a team is on a four-game losing skid.
It’s well documented that the offense has sputtered and the injury bug has hit the ‘Niners. And on defense, it’s the lack of snatching picks.
“I think defensively, it’s been much chronical: When the ball is in the air, you’ve got to go get it,” Lynch said. “It’s something we’ve talked about on bye weekend, it’s persisted and like I said then, I maintain that. Until you put out that fire, we’re going to keep seeing it and you can be scared of that or you can look at that as an opportunity. I think we’ll have an opportunity to do something about that because the Bears are a team who like throwing it down the field anyhow. We have to step up and do something about it.”
Lynch isn’t ready to force changes in the secondary. He likes who is out there. But he knows the guys on the field must produce.
“I still remain resolute and encouraged,” Lynch said. “I think we have the people in this organization that have the ability to do that. We just got to do it.”