The San Francisco 49ers are running it back with Eli Apple. Again.
San Francisco re-signed the veteran cornerback to a one-year deal Wednesday, according to the team’s official announcement. It’s a quick turnaround. The 49ers waived Apple on August 3. Nine days later, he’s back in the building.
General manager John Lynch didn’t stop there. San Francisco also signed running back Zamir White and defensive lineman Xavier Thomas the same day, per the team. To make room, the 49ers waived wide receiver Junior Bergen and punter Jack Bouwmeester, and released defensive lineman K.J. Henry with an injury designation.
The moves land in the thick of training camp, one day before San Francisco opens its three-game preseason slate against the Minnesota Vikings.
Why Apple Is Back So Soon
Apple never really left the 49ers’ orbit this year. He was with the team through the offseason program and into training camp before getting cut. Now he’s filling a need heading into game action. 49ers reporter David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard wrote on X that the timing lines up with San Francisco resting most of its starters against Tennessee. “Since the 49ers will be sitting most starters tomorrow against the Titans, they need guys like Eli Apple to ensure that they have enough CBs to finish the game,” Lombardi wrote.
That practical need comes right after a chippy week on the practice field. San Francisco and Tennessee’s joint sessions produced multiple scuffles, including two Titans offensive linemen getting ejected at one point. Kyle Shanahan pulled a pair of players from later work as a result, per ClutchPoints. Depth at cornerback matters more when practices get physical and bodies pile up.
Apple appeared in two games for San Francisco in 2025, logging one tackle on special teams while working mostly off the practice squad. He’s not walking into a starting job. He’s walking into a numbers game the 49ers need solved before Thursday night.
A Career Built on Second Chances
Apple has made a career out of finding the next opportunity. The Giants took him 10th overall in the 2016 draft, and he spent three seasons in New York before getting traded to New Orleans midway through 2018. From there it was Carolina, then Cincinnati, then Miami, then the Chargers — and now a second stint in San Francisco. That’s seven franchises across a decade in the league, tying him among the more well-traveled first-round picks of his draft class.
His most visible stretch came with the Bengals from 2021 to 2022, when Cincinnati rode a stout defense to the AFC Championship and a trip to Super Bowl LVI, a game the Bengals ultimately lost to the Rams. Apple has bounced from roster to roster since, never quite locking down a long-term home, but he keeps getting calls. This one came fast.
| Team | Years |
|---|---|
| New York Giants | 2016–2018 |
| New Orleans Saints | 2018–2019 |
| Carolina Panthers | 2020 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2021–2022 |
| Miami Dolphins | 2023 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 2024 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2025–present |
At 31, Apple isn’t changing what he is at this point in his career: a depth piece who can play special teams and hold down a roster spot when injuries or scheme need a body. The 49ers clearly think he’s worth having around for one more preseason, at minimum.
