After numerous workouts, the 49ers have decided on an addition to the secondary. The team announced on Thursday they have signed cornerback Will Davis to a one-year contract. They waived wide receiver Rashad Ross to make room on the roster. They had initially signed Ross to a reserve/future contract in January.
David (5’11, 180 lbs) was originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In two years with Miami (2013-14), he appeared in 15 games and registered 20 tackles and three passes defensed in addition to five tackles on special teams. After spending the first two games of the 2015 season with Miami, he was traded to the Baltimore Ravens on September 21, 2015. Over the past two seasons with Baltimore (2015-16), he appeared in five games and registered five tackles, two passes defensed and one interception. Last season, he saw action in three games prior to being waived by the team on November 4, 2016.
Davis has some solid size and length (31 1/2” arms) and coming out of college had some solid footwork. He tore his ACL twice in 11 months, with the most recent coming in October 2015. He was slow returning, and could never really settle into a role last season.
There is some upside to be had now that he is over a year and a half removed from the second torn ACL. Coming in in the back third of the offseason workout program is not ideal, but the 49ers are building a defense that is about aggressiveness, and a bit more instinctual. Ideally that means he can get up to speed quickly.
He joins a depth chart that includes Rashard Robinson on one side, and Keith Reaser, Dontae Johnson, or Ahkello Witherspoon on the other side. K’Waun Williams and Will Redmond are competing for the nickel role.