San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jack Jones has been turning heads throughout training camp and appears to be firmly in line for a roster spot in 2026. The 49ers routed the Los Angeles Chargers 41-17 at SoFi Stadium on Thursday night, and Jones was active throughout the first half.
Projected starting cornerback Renardo Green suffered a hamstring injury in the first half and did not return. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Green will undergo additional imaging on Friday to determine the severity of the injury.
If Green is forced to miss time, the 49ers could lean on Jones (and others), a former fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots who has been in the NFL since 2022.
It sounds like the 49ers' confidence in Jones is growing. Shanahan praised the veteran cornerback's performance following the game.
"Jack made some huge plays," Shanahan said. "He's been doing that in practice, too—being aggressive on a lot of in-breaking routes and not getting beat deep. So, I was real happy with him today."
Jones stood out with a pass breakup in the end zone with the Chargers facing third-and-goal from the 49ers' three-yard line. The play forced Los Angeles to settle for a field goal.
"Yeah, Jack made a great play on the ball, I thought," Shanahan said. "I thought he covered his guy. It seemed like every time they went at Jack, he knocked the ball down. So, he just continued what he's been doing throughout the game."
Shanahan also said he believes the 49ers' group of cornerbacks is making progress with the regular season approaching. The defense was manhandled by the Chargers' offense during Tuesday's joint practice but looked significantly better in Thursday night's preseason matchup.
"I think they took a step forward," Shanahan said. "I mean, trying to do that each week in practice, too. I think we gave up a number of big plays in the practice on Tuesday, and I thought we pretty much shut them down today. So, I was real proud of those guys for that."
The 49ers have one more preseason game before the regular season begins. They will face the Las Vegas Raiders next Thursday night at Allegiant Stadium, potentially giving Jones another opportunity to strengthen his case for a spot on the 53-man roster.
With Green's injury adding uncertainty to the cornerback depth chart, Jones' strong preseason performance could not have come at a better time for the 49ers.
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