Earlier this month, I might’ve gotten a little ahead of myself when I wondered whether Eli Apple’s NFL career had finally reached the point of no return. In my defense, getting released in the middle of training camp at 31 years old after playing two games the previous season usually isn’t the best sign.
The San Francisco 49ers apparently had other ideas. They brought the former New York Giants first-round pick back less than two weeks later, giving him another chance to stick around after injuries started piling up in their cornerback room.
Apple didn't turn that second chance into a spot on the initial 53-man roster, as San Fran released him once again during Sunday’s cuts. Funny enough, that might be exactly where the 49ers wanted him all along.
49ers still can’t shake Eli Apple from the tree
Our friends over at Niner Noise pointed out that Apple’s latest release doesn’t have to end his time in the Bay Area. Whether it should is a different conversation. A reunion on the practice squad remains a possibility, which would send the 31-year-old right back into the strange little NFL limbo he occupied throughout last season.
The Niners signed him last August, released him during final cuts, and brought him back on the P-Squad before eventually elevating him to the active roster when injuries came up. He wound up appearing in two games and has apparently done enough to remain somewhere on the Niners’ emergency contact list.
Their current cornerback situation could keep him there. Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, and Upton Stout headline the room, while injuries to Green and rookie Ephesians Prysock give the Niners a reason to keep Apple nearby.
Talk about a strange little career Apple has built for himself.
The former No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 Draft has gone from supposed Giants cornerstone to one of the league’s most persistent journeymen. He’s played for seven teams, started in a Super Bowl, become a punching bag for multiple fan bases, and somehow continued to find NFL work for the past decade.
He's certainly not what Giants fans envisioned when then-GM Jerry Reese used a top-10 pick on him a decade ago. At this stage of his career, and coming off consecutive summers spent fighting for the bottom of San Francisco’s roster, Apple’s days as a regular contributor are all but over.
His ability to keep finding his way back into the building is becoming almost impressive. If the 49ers call him back for another stint on the practice squad, Giants fans might want to remind me to hold off on writing that football obituary for a little while longer.
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