49ers CB Renardo Green Expected to be a Breakout Player this Year

The 49ers need some young players to step up on defense this year.

They still have Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Deommodore Lenoir. But after those three, the 49ers mostly have question marks. However, one player who is expected to be a breakout player is second-year cornerback Renardo Green, according to Fox Sports.

"In a Niners season that was mostly a bummer, Green was one of their few bright spots," writes Fox Sports' David Helman. "The second-round pick graded out in the top 25% of all corners as a rookie, according to Pro Football Focus. Granted, there’s a difference between being a pleasant surprise as a rookie and being asked to fill the shoes of a Pro Bowler like Charvarius Ward. He'll have every opportunity to be the next young star on Robert Saleh’s defense."

Last season, Green played only 63 percent of the 49ers' defensive snaps. And yet, he led the team with 13 pass breakups. Deommodore Lenoir finished second with nine. That's how impressive Green was.

Now Green has to prove that he wasn't a one-year wonder. Teams will target him heavily early in the season because they respect Lenoir. If Green picks off a pass or two, teams will respect him too and leave him alone.

Unfortunately for Green, he has a new defensive coordinator in Robert Saleh. Last season, Green played well under former defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. Granted, Saleh is much better than Sorensen, but it's not a given that Green will flourish in his defense.

Stay tuned.