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By Aaron Becker
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The San Francisco 49ers are doing everything they can to bolster their secondary before the start of the 2026 NFL season.
According to Air Meirov of The 33rd Team, the 49ers have signed former first-round cornerback Eli Apple.
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Apple, 31, spent the 2025 season with the 49ers but spent most of the year on their practice squad, finishing with just one tackle in two games.
He even signed a reserve/futures contract with San Francisco in January but the team waived him on Aug. 2.
It's unclear why the 49ers decided to part ways with him if they were just going to bring him back 10 days later, but having extra depth is never a bad thing, especially as injuries continue to pile up for the team.
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Apple began his professional career as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. However, he has never been able to live up to the expectations that come with being a first-round selection.
As a rookie, Apple recorded 51 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, seven passes defensed and one interception.
Then in 2017, he entered training camp as a starting outside cornerback, but he was later benched due to disciplinary reasons.
Apple got another chance to prove himself but was heavily criticized by the New York Giants coaching staff for his performance during their Week 10 loss against the 49ers. As a result, Apple was benched as a healthy scratch for the next several games.
In 2018, Apple was traded to the New Orleans Saints for a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Over the next two seasons, he recorded 110 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 13 passes defensed and two interceptions.
However, the Saints ultimately declined his fifth-year option and he signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers in 2020. Unfortunately, ankle and foot injuries landed Apple on injured reserve and New Orleans released him.
Apple's next opportunity came with the Cincinnati Bengals, who he would spend the 2021 and 2022 seasons with. He then bounced to the Miami Dolphins (2023) and Los Angeles Chargers (2024) before joining the 49ers last season.
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Apple has recorded 384 tackles, 0.5 sack, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 61 passes defensed and six interceptions in his career.
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