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Why Benching Tramaine Brock Is the Next Change 49ers Should Make

By Nicholas McGee

Oct 6, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) catches the ball for a touchdown against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock (26) during the third quarter at Levi
Oct 6, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) catches the ball for a touchdown against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock (26) during the third quarter at Levi /
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The 49ers have already made two position changes this week and, when Jimmie Ward is healthy, should look to make a third by benching Tramaine Brock.

Having slipped to a 1-4 start, the 49ers appear to have recognized they have little to lose and have made two sizeable changes on offense.

Colin Kaepernick will get his shot at starting quarterback against the Bills after Blaine Gabbert was benched, while rookie Joshua Garnett is in at right guard for Andrew Tiller – per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News.

Prior to his 2015 decline, Kaepernick was a considerably better quarterback than Gabbert and will be an upgrade if he can get anywhere close to what he was in 2013. Garnett should improve the 49ers’ run-blocking providing his exploits from his time at Stanford carry into the pros.

But the 49ers also have issues on defense. And though the secondary has been arguably the best aspect of that unit, San Francisco can shore up things on the back end by making an obvious change – bench cornerback Tramaine Brock.

Brock is the 49ers’ most experienced corner. But what has become apparent, particularly with the recent emergence of rookie Rashard Robinson, is that he is their fourth best player at the position.

Indeed, while Robinson has come in and excelled across his first two starts, Brock has endured a nightmare year, giving up big plays and touchdowns on a frighteningly regular basis.

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At his best Brock had five interceptions in 2013. But at that point he was playing behind a strong 49ers pass rush. In the first five games of this term, with San Francisco again struggling to pressure the quarterback, he has been exposed significantly.

In the last two games, Brock has given up four touchdowns, with Larry Fitzgerald, Terrance Williams and Brice Butler taking advantage of their matchup against him to find the end zone, Fitzgerald twice beating him for scores.

What has become clear across the past two weeks is that Brock does not possess the foot speed to maintain tight coverage with receivers who excel with their route-running as Fitzgerald does here, gaining significant separation with a double move, allowing him to walk into the end zone:

In addition to having difficulties against clever route-runners like Fitzgerald, Brock has proved very susceptible to wideouts blessed with even the slightest bit of speed, as evidenced by this 59-yard pass play he gives up to Doug Baldwin.

Brock’s cause was not helped by an inexplicable three-man rush on third and long and, playing well off from the line of scrimmage is still unable to keep up with Baldwin, paying the price for not being able to flip his hips quick enough as the Seattle wideout blows by him for a huge play.

While many corners have struggled against Fitzgerald and Baldwin, now one of the best slot receivers in the game, the fact Brock was easily beaten by Brice Butler on the below play hints at a worrying decline for a corner who should be in his prime at the age of 28.

Yet for all his problems this season, Brock will be expected to retain his place as a starter when Jimmie Ward returns from a quad injury, despite Robinson producing two excellent performances that have many already regarding him as a steal in the fourth round of this year’s draft.

Robinson, per Pro Football Focus has given up the lowest yards per coverage snap (0.33) in the NFL. He has been targeted nine times but only four passes have been completed against his coverage for a mere 31 yards.

At 6-foot-1 and 177 pounds, length was always going to be an obvious advantage. And the benefit of his frame has been on show in his two starts, preventing a touchdown pass to Butler here by getting his long arms in to break up the pass at the catch point.

The contrast between Robinson’s coverage and that of Brock on Butler’s earlier touchdown is startling. And the rookie has been consistent in allowing opposing receivers very little separation.

Robinson is able to plaster his receivers with such regularity because of an impressive combination of physicality and athleticism.

He is physical off the snap when playing press, immediately disrupting the routes of wideouts, has the foot speed to stay with even the most agile of receivers, and has excelled at driving on the ball to deflect passes when he has been targeted.

Robinson’s surprising lateral quickness is also evident on film, with the former LSU corner able to stay with one of the NFL’s fastest receivers while running sideways during the Week 5 loss to the Cardinals.

But is not just in the pass game where Robinson has impressed.

Indeed, Robinson also appears strong against the run, and prevented a potential long touchdown from Ezekiel Elliot in the Week 4 loss to the Cowboys by demonstrating quick recognition, taking the right angle to the ball and making a solid tackle.

Robinson looks to have all the makings of the shutdown corner San Francisco has craved for so long and is a player the Niners should not be looking to take off the field.

Instead they should be dropping Brock – a free agent in 2018 – further down the pecking order and give Dontae Johnson an opportunity to prove himself.

After a promising rookie season, Johnson has received limited opportunities over the last two years, but when given the chance the former NC State defender has played well, a prime example being his performance in the Niners’ win over the Atlanta Falcons last season.

Johnson played his part as a banged up secondary helped keep Julio Jones in check, making a couple of superb plays against one of the best receivers in the NFL.

On the play below Johnson showcases his instincts, leaping ability and length to bat down a pass intended for Jones, who was not initially in his coverage.

Later, in the fourth quarter, Johnson wins the jump-ball battle with Jones to help the 49ers make a crucial goal-line stand and preserve the victory.

Winning the fight for the ball in the air with receivers like Jones is something Brock has rarely been able to do and, though the sample size for both is relatively small, the 49ers would be better off putting more faith in the length of Robinson and Johnson, who is 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and has decent speed – having run a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash at the combine.

In short Brock has been a liability in coverage through the first five games and appears to be declining in what should be his prime.

The 49ers are still very much a rebuilding team and need to see what they have in players like Robinson and Johnson. The early signs are extremely promising for Robinson, and Johnson has flashed potential when afforded the chance.

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San Francisco has tremendous faith in Ward as both an outside corner and a slot man, but when he returns from his troublesome quad problem, it should be Robinson who starts alongside him with Johnson coming in when Ward moves inside on nickel downs.

The Niners have the makings of an intriguing young secondary but, for the likes of Robinson and Johnson to fulfil their potential as early as possible, San Francisco needs to stop being so reliant on a player in Brock whose best years look to be in the past and send him to the bench.

Next: 49ers vs. Bills: Previewing Week 6 for San Francisco

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.