What Does This Veteran Addition Mean for the 49ers Secondary?
Earlier today, it was reported that the San Francisco 49ers agreed on a contract with former top-10 draft pick cornerback Eli Apple. The 2015 NFL Draft bust has become an NFL journeyman, contributing to a surprising number of great NFL rosters. Apple joins the team a week into training camp, as he will battle with a few young corners for spots on the 53-man roster. This is an interesting signing by the 49ers, who seemed to be looking toward the future on the defensive side of the ball while limiting their spending on veteran talent this offseason. However, having a couple of veterans throughout each position group on the roster is always beneficial.
Drafted by the New York Giants in 2015, Apple failed to develop at the cornerback position as he bounced between several teams as a serviceable outside corner. In 2021, he landed with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he played a substantial role as their third corner on their 2021 Super Bowl roster. Since then, Apple has slowly disappeared as an impact player in the NFL, serving as veteran depth, which is what the 49ers intend him to be. At this point in his decade-long career, Apple should never see the field unless San Francisco turns desperate in the secondary due to injury.
With training camp kicking off this past week, it is important to identify the biggest concern surrounding the team. The concern started with the secondary as it took a bit of time for them to fully mold together. The addition of Apple during training camp could end up being completely irrelevant in a couple of weeks when he gets waived. However, Apple’s name carries enough weight for him to possibly have a chance to contribute by installing a veteran presence within a young secondary group. Young corners like sophomore Renardo Green, rookie Upton Stout, and even UDFA rookie Jakob Robinson could take advice from Apple throughout the remainder of training camp as they prepare themselves for the beginning of preseason and beyond. If there was any position group that needed more competition in camp, it was the corner. With Green expected to miss the rest of training camp, Apple has a real chance to stand out if no one else does.
