New 49ers cornerback Shareece Wright went into last season with the Chargers as a backup and emerged a starter.
In his fourth year in San Diego, the former USC defensive back had started 13 games in 2013, but looked destined to play a smaller role in 2014 with the addition of veteran free agent Brandon Flowers and top draft choice Jason Verrett.
Yet when injuries impacted both, Wright stepped in, started 14 games and had his best season, playing a career-high 784 snaps. He finished sixth on the team in tackles (60) and broke up 10 passes.
The 5-foot-11, 182-pound Wright was praised by Chargers coaches for his tackling and run support. He still had flaws in coverage, allowing a 95.5 passer rating when opposing quarterbacks targeted the receiver he was covering. But, that was an improvement from the 99.9 rating he allowed in 2013.
Another red flag: He also led all NFL cornerbacks in pass-interference penalties, with eight.
Still, Wright showed consistent improvement since his rookie season and was a valuable player for San Diego. But with Verrett and Flowers targeted as starters, the Chargers knew Wright was likely headed elsewhere in free agency.
When the 49ers signed him recently to a one-year, $2.95 million deal, general manager Trent Baalke told reporters that Wright would be in the mix for a starting cornerback job opposite Tramaine Brock, following the loss of Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox in free agency.
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Brock, Wright and second-year men Dontae Johnson and Jimmie Ward now appear to be the top four candidates to fill the two corner jobs and the nickel cornerback position -- although a cornerback also could be added in the draft.
Baalke said the four corners could give defensive coordinator Eric Mangini a chance to mix and match defenders based on matchups and situations.
Baalke also compared Wright’s signing to the signing of cornerback Carlos Rogers in 2011. Rogers had played six seasons in Washington and had been an under-the-radar signing, but turned into a Pro Bowler in 2011 when he intercepted a career-high six passes – just two less than he’d intercepted during his entire tenure in D.C.
“I look at him a lot how I looked at Carlos Rogers when we brought Carlos in,” Baalke said. “They’re guys who have played at a high level in this league and have shown they can go out and compete as starters. And you’d expect him to come in and compete as a starter, as well.”
Whether he can come into the 49ers secondary and start to make plays as Rogers did, however, seems a long shot. In four seasons, Wright hasn’t shown the best of hands. He has 20 pass breakups in 44 games played – including 27 starts – but has just one interception.
