WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Cornerback Ambry Thomas finished his rookie year strong after being inactive for the majority of the 49ers’ season.
He yielded an average of 33.0 yards in his final five games, according to Pro Football Focus, and appeared to be placing himself into position for a role as a long-term starter.
But Thomas dropped out of the starting lineup in the offseason when the 49ers signed Charvarius Ward as a free agent to go along with Emmanuel Moseley.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Then, Deommodore Lenoir and rookie Sam Womack passed Thomas for playing time in the 49ers’ defensive backfield.
Even with Moseley’s season-ending injury, Thomas does not appear to be at the front of the line to fill a spot in the 49ers’ starting lineup before veteran Jason Verrett is cleared for a full return.
“He got better as the year went, but just coming back to OTAs, coming back to training camp, other guys have passed him up and he's still working hard to get back,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said of Thomas.
"I think he's made a lot more progress here in the last three weeks than he did in camp. And especially with the injuries, opportunities, most likely are going to come. He's got a little more competition this year than last year.”
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
The 49ers selected Thomas in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, knowing he had to get physically stronger in order to become a regular. Thomas opted out of the 2020 season while at Michigan due to COVID-19, so he did not have a chance to develop his skills before coming to the NFL.
The combination of injuries and improved play enabled Thomas to break into the starting lineup for the final five games of the regular season. His interception in overtime clinched the 49ers’ Week 18 game against the Los Angeles Rams and punched the team’s ticket to the postseason.
RELATED: 49ers overreactions: Trade for cornerback with Moseley out?
The 49ers’ cornerback position is in much better shape than a year ago, when the 49ers were signing players off the street and shoving them onto the field. And Thomas has not been able to keep up.
“Last year that was our biggest worry,” Shanahan said. “We knew how thin we were there with the rookies. and then losing Verrett that first game was tough. That's why we had to go sign vets right away.
"We've had the injuries this year, but we have some rookies who got experience last year and we also brought in a couple of guys and I like our draft picks too, so we got some more depth, which helps.”