The San Francisco 49ers wasted no time on Friday, releasing cornerback Tramaine Brock following his arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence. Brock posted bail on Friday, and while his first court date is unknown, the new 49ers front office was not going to wait.
The next question is what happens with the cornerback depth chart now that Brock has been released. He was one of the team’s starting cornerbacks this past season, opposite Jimmie Ward, and Rashard Robinson for stretches. He was entering the final season of his contract, and while a release for younger talent was a possibility, this speeds things up considerably.
Earlier this week, James Brady took a look at the cornerback position, and offered up some day one, two, and three options in what is a very deep class of players. The 49ers could go with someone like Marshon Lattimore or Marlon Humphrey. If they wanted to wait until day two, they could look at guys like Adoree’ Jackson, Tre’Davious White, or Ahkello Witherspoon. Further down the board are guys like Chidobe Awuzie and Nate Hairston.
The bigger question right now for the depth chart is what happens with Jimmie Ward. There has been talk of moving him to safety. I don’t think Brock’s departure necessarily changes that, but it could be a factor as the 49ers figure out the next step. Given the depth of this year’s cornerback class, it would not surprise me at all to see them grab two cornerbacks in the first four rounds.
We don’t know where guys like Rashard Robinson, Keith Reaser, and Dontae Johnson, among others fit into the picture. My guess is Robinson will be starting this fall given the length and attitude he brings. But beyond that, they will be looking to add from a deep pool of talent.