Report: Cornerback Eli Apple signs with San Francisco 49ers

Veteran cornerback Eli Apple has agreed to sign a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It will mark the fourth different team he has played for in the past five seasons and the seventh team in his career overall.

Most recently, Apple played four games with the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 season. He recorded two tackles and one pass defended in limited action.

Apple began his career with the New York Giants in the 2016 season after being drafted out of Ohio State. He played the first two-and-a-half years of his career there and started 23 games before being traded to the New Orleans Saints in the middle of the 2018 season.

That ended up being the best season of his career as he ended up 75 tackles, 14 passes defended two fumbles recoveries, two interceptions and one forced fumble in 15 combined games with the two franchises. He played one more season with the Saint in 2019 before becoming a free agent and signing with the Carolina Panthers. However, he played only two games in 2020 after being placed on injured reserve.

After that, Eli Apple signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2021 season. He started 30 games over the course of the 2021 and 2022 seasons in Cincinnati, recording 98 tackles, 18 passes defended, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

After that, Apple played one year with the Miami Dolphins before joining the Chargers last season. He’ll now stay in the state of California but move to a different city as he looks to make an impact for the 49ers.

San Francisco is coming off of a 6-11 finish this past season just one year after it competed for a Super Bowl. With his experience, Apple will look to help them as he enters the 10th year of his career.

Jauan Jennings wants new contract or trade from San Francisco 49ers

Jauan Jennings either wants a new contract from the San Francisco 49ers or wants to be traded, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former Tennessee Football standout wide receiver is in the final year of a two-year contract extension and is scheduled to make $7.5 million this season. 

“Jennings has approached the 49ers about his request,” Schefter reported, “but little progress has been made, a source told ESPN. If a new deal is not reached by the time training camp starts next week, Jennings plans to request a trade to a team willing to pay him.”

Schefter also reported that Jennings is not expected to be a training camp holdout, but he is not expected to be happy with his situation. 

The two-year contract extension Jennings received before the 2024 season is worth $11.89 million, according to Spotrac, and included $8.435 million guaranteed at signing. 

Jennings was selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, picked by the 49ers at No. 217 overall. Career earnings to date for Jennings is $10.5 million over the last five seasons.