The Seattle Seahawks need to get a win in Week 1. Sure, the season isn't over if they don't beat the San Francisco 49ers, but getting a victory against an NFC West rival would be a great way to begin the season. One never knows if the outcome of Week 1 might be important in Week 18.
Seattle shed itself of a couple of outspoken players this offseason, and the culture of the team appears to be more poised and professional. DK Metcalf isn't around anymore to get mouthy with opponents on the field. Cooper Kupp seems less likely to do that.
One 49ers player, though, likes to trash-talk, especially on social media. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir used to get involved with Metcalf in verbal fisticuffs often. This offseason, Lenoir decided to turn his attention to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whom Lenoir discarded as not very good.
49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir cannot be quiet about the Seattle Seahawks
The CB was asked about his need to talk poorly about Seattle in the week before Week 1, and Lenoir didn't completely back down. What is clear is that he will miss jawing with Metcalf, but he was also self-aware enough to know that he must back up his trash talk with good play.
Lenoir answered what it will be like to face a Metcalf-less Seahawks team, "Without my fellow friend DK. They're a good group of receivers with the addition of Kupp. They got some confidence over there. I feel like on Sunday it's going to be a very fun game. Literally, this whole offseason has been about Seattle. So I got to back it up. I'm ready."
To be fair to the cornerback, that is some pretty decent (if toned-down) smack. He doesn't call people names, and he is appreciative while also having confidence in himself. That is difficult to argue with.
What is easy to argue with is Lenoir calling JSN a "bum." When the 49ers' cornerback covered Smith-Njigba last season, the receiver caught seven of his 10 targets for 69 yards. Four of the receptions were for first downs. In other words, JSN had a high level of success against Lenoir and might do so in Week 1, too.
The matchup will not decide the Seattle Seahawks versus the San Francisco 49ers, though. Seattle's offense is too different from 2024 for that to be the case. How Deommodore Lenoir holds up against the run could decide the outcome. So, instead of chirping about Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Lenoir might have to answer how it feels to try to tackle Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III.