T
he San Francisco 49ers are still making roster moves. Last week, the team opened up training camp along with the rest of the league, beginning preparations for what should be a very competitive 2025 season. And once practices began, it did not take long for the 49ers to find ways to improve, announcing late on July 27 that they had come to terms with cornerback, Eli Apple, on a one-year deal. In a corresponding move, the team released wide receiver, Quintez Cephus.
The move to sign Apple comes after projected starter, Renardo Green, suffered a hamstring injury in practice on July 25– putting his status for the rest of training camp in doubt. Head coach Kyle Shanahan expects Green to return to action sometime in mid-August, but as is the case with most injuries, it is too soon to really know how serious it is.
Apple’s Career Thus Far
A star at Ohio State from 2013-15, winning a national title with the program in 2015, Apple was drafted 10th overall in 2016 by the New York Giants, where he spent the first three seasons of his career. Apple then had stints with the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and most recently, the Los Angeles Chargers. While unable to reach his full potential in the NFL so far, Apple played a big role on the 2021 Bengals’ team that made it all the way to Super Bowl LVI.
Last season with the Chargers, Apple only appeared in four games where he registered two tackles and one pass defended. The best season of his career came in that 2021 campaign where in 16 games (15 starts), he registered 49 tackles, 10 passes defended, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Overall for his career, the 29-year-old Apple has appeared in 102 games with 82 starts, recording 383 tackles, three quarterback hits, 0.5 sacks, 61 passes defended, six interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
What Apple Brings to the 49ers
A nine-year NFL veteran, Apple not only brings a vast amount of experience, but he will also be a leader in the 49ers’ defensive back room. Aside from fifth-year pro, Deommodore Lenoir, the 49ers defensive backs room is relatively young, with the team experiencing massive roster turnover this offseason. Possessing a lot of experience playing in big games and being on contending rosters, Apple is the perfect fit for a 49ers team eager to return to relevance.
The issue now is staying healthy. Forced to go with younger and cheaper players this season, the 49ers depth is not as strong as in years past and if injuries start to pile up– as is the case with a lot of teams throughout an NFL season– their depth will be tested in more ways than one.
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