placeholder image

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports


49ers DC DeMeco Ryans talks CB availability, says Josh Norman ‘in a really good place’

Sep 9, 2021 at 4:06 PM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
It remains to be seen what the 49ers will do at cornerback against the Detroit Lions on Sunday if starter Emmanuel Moseley is unable to play, but it's possible that recently-signed veteran Josh Norman may be able to contribute if called upon.

Moseley remained sidelined at practice on Thursday while dealing with a knee injury. Norman has less than a week of practice with the 49ers under his belt after being signed on September 6, which creates a question of whether or not he'd be in shape to play in Sunday's season opener. But defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans told reporters after practice on Thursday that Norman is trending in a positive direction despite his limited practice time.

"One thing about Josh is he's a veteran who has done it for a while," Ryans said. "Smart player. So he's still working through all those things, but Josh, he's in a really good place right now."

Ryans also gave some overall thoughts on the addition of the 33-year-old Norman, who was limited to nine games with the Buffalo Bills in 2020 due to injury issues and a positive test for COVID-19. Norman may not return to the form that saw him win first-team All-Pro honors with the Carolina Panthers in 2015, but he should at least be able to provide depth to a position where it's needed.

"Josh has been working well and we've had him here for a couple days," Ryans said. "He's been learning. He's been doing a really good job. You can tell (he's a) vet who's been around a for while and knows a lot of ball -- very smart player, instinctive player. He's made plays in this league since he first came into the league, so (I'm) excited to add some veteran depth to our corner position."

In addition to Norman, the 49ers have rookies Deommodore Lenoir and Ambry Thomas on the active roster as depth options behind Moseley and Jason Verrett, but it's also possible they could turn to veteran Dontae Johnson if need be. Johnson is currently on the practice squad after being cut to make room for Norman, but his availability and his experience with the 49ers make him a viable option.

"Dontae's just a consummate pro," Ryans said. "You can always count on Dontae to be ready. I know he's been through a lot of ups and downs -- on the roster, off the roster, practice squad -- but Dontae the man has never wavered. He's the same every day. He's always there leading the younger guys, helping those guys out. When we put him in there, he's able to perform the techniques that we ask him to do, so I'm just very appreciative of Dontae and his role and what he's meant to his organization. He's an important piece and I'm happy we're able to get him back. But I love Dontae, love his spirit, love his energy, and I really love his leadership that he provides for our young guys."

The 49ers also have another veteran on the practice squad in Dee Virgin, who was signed on September 3. Virgin played with the Lions over the past three seasons.

"We have a lot of options of guys who have played in our scheme and who have done it," Ryans said.



LISTEN

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

49ers to place cornerback Samuel Womack on injured reserve

By Kirk Larrabee
Sep 15

The San Francisco 49ers will be without back-up cornerback Samuel Womack for several weeks due to an MCL injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Friday. Womack sustained the injury during the final play of practice on Wednesday, Shanahan said. He is expected to go on injured reserve but does not need surgery and will likely return later this season. "I think it's like six to eight weeks, something like that," Shanahan said of Womack's timetable to return. Womack (5-10, 189) is in his second season with the 49ers after being selected in Round 5 of the 2022 NFL Draft. He had 19 tackles in 16 games as a rookie with one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Womack played nine snaps on defense and 17 snaps on


placeholder image

49ers' Nick Bosa "getting back into his groove," says Kyle Shanahan

By David Bonilla
Sep 18

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has had time to review the film from Sunday's 30-23 win over the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. What is his assessment of his now-highly-compensated defensive end, Nick Bosa? "I think he's getting back into football shape, getting back into his groove," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Monday via a conference call. "I thought he got better and stronger throughout the game, similar to last week in that aspect. I thought he finished the game real strong and took a step forward from Pittsburgh." Bosa earned Pro Football Focus' highest grade


placeholder image

Deebo Samuel says he's fine after 49ers feared rib injury

By David Bonilla
Sep 21

Brandon Aiyuk was inactive on Thursday night in the San Francisco 49ers' game against the New York Giants. The wide receiver has been dealing with a shoulder injury. Some feared that the Niners' other star wideout might also be ailing. After a catch in the second half of the game, wide receiver Deebo Samuel was slow to get up and was examined on the sideline in the medical tent. He re-entered the game and even caught a touchdown after the injury. After the game, Kyle Shanahan indicated that Samuel had sustained a rib injury. The head coach was asked if his receiver would need X-rays to determine the extent of the


placeholder image

49ers Notebook: Deebo is no longer "awful"; Ronnie Bell makes a splash; J.J. Watt praises Niners; Captain Andrew Luck makes Levi's cameo

By Kirk Larrabee
Sep 22

Thursday night was a fun one at Levi's Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers cruised to a 30-12 victory over the visiting New York Giants. It was a night that saw wide receiver Deebo Samuel declare himself as officially out of "awful" mode, running back Christian McCaffrey reach milestones, wide receiver Ronnie Bell create some lasting memories, and -- of all things -- Andrew Luck making a return to an NFL field (in full Civil War costume) to take part in a game of trivia. Let's recap all that and more in this version of 49ers Notebook. Not awful anymore Back in June, Deebo Samuel caught some attention with his honest description of his 2022 performance


Featured

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone