The San Francisco 49ers added to their cornerback depth over the weekend by signing Eli Apple. The former first-round pick did not play a ton last year, but his addition to the roster could spell trouble for three Niners players.
San Francisco added Apple after second-year cornerback Renardo Green went down with an injury in training camp. Green had been doing everything right in camp so his injury came at a bad time, but the hope is he will not be out for long.
Signing Apple could be a move to add more depth after the injury to Green and he could end up competing for playing time depending on how good he looks in training camp.
Apple never truly lived up to the high expectation that accompanied him out of Ohio State. He was selected 10th overall by the New York Giants and is widely regarded as a bust in New York but went on to have a solid career after those rough first few seasons.
He did not see much action last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, appearing in four games and recording two tackles. In 2023 he appeared in 10 games with the Miami Dolphins and had nine passes defended along with one interception.
We will see how Apple acquits himself in camp, but if he looks good the following three players could be in trouble.
Chase Lucas
The 49ers signed cornerback Chase Lucas as a depth option last offseason but he did not see any playing time in 2024. He has a chance to make the 53-man roster if he can showcase his talent on special teams, but he could be the odd man out with Apple now in the fold.
Dallis Flowers
San Francisco signed cornerback Dallis Flowers in the offseason after he had three low-profile seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. With the 49ers' secondary being thin, he has a chance to make the team, but the addition of Apple just made that more unlikely.
Tre Avery
Cornerback Tre Avery saw a decent amount of playing time with the Tennessee Titans in 2022 and 2023 but saw his time on the field decrease last season. It seemed Avery's purpose on the roster would be to push rookie cornerback Upton Stout, but now that role is in question.
San Francisco's secondary is still fairly wide open right now. Apple is far from guaranteed a roster spot, but adding him to the competition is only going to make things more interesting as the 49ers figure out their cornerback depth chart.