SANTA CLARA — As a rookie, Renardo Green spoke when he was spoken to and otherwise kept his thoughts to himself.

In Year 2 and carved in stone as the starting right cornerback, health permitting, Green is passing along hard lessons learned in 2024.

“Football is always going to be football, but it’s about the little details,” Green said Monday following a brief, one-hour 49ers practice. “When I first came here there were certain things I didn’t see or hadn’t learned. Now with that time and experience under my belt it’s got me feeling way more comfortable. I know what to expect. I see things faster and process things faster.”

The 49ers will cut down their roster to 53 players Tuesday and will begin assembling a 16-man practice squad in advance of their Sept. 7 road date against the Seattle Seahawks to open the regular season.

A second-round draft pick out of Florida State, No. 64 overall, Green stayed focused mentally when a hamstring strain on the third day of practice kept him out until Aug. 6 and even had some pointers for rookies or new players at the urging of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks.

Green said he’s talking more, telling players and coaches what he sees and trying to set a standard.

“I’m harder on myself than anybody,” Green said. “Guys see that and they see this is the way we’re trying to get it done and the type of intent we need.”

Green was part of a rookie class that got a lot of time last season, with the 49ers hoping the adage of players making the most progress between Year 1 and Year 2 is an accurate one.

If that’s the case, the 49ers are set with their starting cornerbacks. They believe in Deommodore Lenoir enough to sign him last season to a contract worth a maximum of $92 million. And before the season was over, they’d already determined that Green would step in this year for Charvarius Ward, who wound up signing with Indianapolis in free agency.

The 49ers appear intent on leaving Lenoir on the outside after going back and forth as a slot corner last year, and the hope is Lenoir and Green can become one of the NFL’s top cornerback tandems. Rookie Upton Stout had the inside track as slot corner until a calf injury cost him valuable training camp time, during which Chase Lucas has stepped up and could be a Week 1 option.

Although it got lost somewhat in a 6-11 season, Green had the look of a foundational piece based on 17 games with seven starts. For what it’s worth, he was the 28th-ranked cornerback out of 222 at the position in terms of pass coverage according to Pro Football Focus and was the 57th-ranked cornerback overall.

Green broke up a team-high 13 passes and was singled out as a big-time talent along with Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Lenoir defensive coordinator Robert Saleh upon his return to the 49ers.

Saleh has already made an impression on Green.

“He helped me clean up my eyes and put certain terminology in my head so when I’m out there processing things that the terminology is kicking in in my head and helping me make plays faster, and know the personnel out there when it comes to what we’re in before the snap,” Green said. “Robert Saleh is a great coach and every time he can talk to me and tell me something I just absorb it like a sponge as much as I can.”

Upon his return, Green wasted no time in reclaiming his spot and began making plays immediately.

“I didn’t feel rusty,” Green said. “Just put the work in, do everything I’m supposed to do, do my part and then just do as I’m told and everything is going to play out how it’s supposed to be.”

 

Tatum Bethune (48) and Renardo Green (31) celebrate as rookies during last year’s preseason opener against Tennessee in Nashville. A.P. Photo

 

49ers’ draft class of 2024

Round 1, No. 31, Ricky Pearsall Jr.: Pearsall’s progress has been one of the 49ers’ most positive training camp stories. He has developed a rapport with Brock Purdy and appears capable of the WR1 role if Jauan Jennings isn’t ready to go for the opener while he waits for his calf to heal and seeks a contract extension.

Round 3, No. 86, Dominick Puni: Puni, who missed just a single snap as one of the NFL’s top rookie linemen a year ago, sustained a hyperextension of his knee while blocking on a place kick against Denver in the preseason opener. He was working with the training staff on the field Monday and looks as if he will be ready for Seattle in the opener. “The whole rookie season is a blur. I’m just ready to go to Seattle,” Puni said.

Round 4, No. 124, Malik Mustapha: A mostly quiet offseason was marred by the news that Mustapha, expected to be one of the 49ers’ starting safeties, needed ACL surgery. He’s believed to be progressing well but may not be available until six or more games into the season. The coaches love his ability to hit and run.

Round 4, No. 129, Isaac Guerendo: Concerns about Guerendo’s durability resurfaced with a shoulder injury that cost him training camp time. Then, upon his return, he had ball security issues in practice. He’s been knocked down a peg in the pecking order with Brian Robinson Jr. acquired from Washington by trade to help ease the load on lead back Christian McCaffrey.

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Round 4, No. 135, Jacob Cowing: Had a solid offseason program and had every chance to assert himself in the passing game for the first time as well as reprise his role as a return specialist. Cowing, however, strained a hamstring early in camp and did it again to the point where he could not only begin the season on injured reserve but get lost in the shuffle with the trade acquisition of Skyy Moore from Kansas City.

Round 6, No. 215, Jarrett Kingston: The lone 49ers draft pick who didn’t make the 53-man roster, Kingston was claimed by Carolina. He played in seven games with only one snap on offense and 24 on special teams as a rookie. Kingston is no lock to make the Panthers’ 53-man roster.

Round 7, No. 251, Tatum Bethune: Basically attached himself to Fred Warner during the offseason, remade his body (he has a sweet tooth and cut out Swedish Fish) and is out to prove he is viable on game day for any of the three linebacker positions. “I was a rookie and I thought it was going to be sweet but everybody’s good and I really had to check myself and reevaluate myself after the season,” Bethune said.