49ers Release Well-Traveled Rookie DB Ahead of Week 17

Getty Eventual San Francisco 49ers defensive back Tre Swilling playing for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

When Kyle Shanahan let it be known that the San Francisco 49ers were trying to sign recently released linebacker Curtis Robinson to their practice squad, fans immediately began to wonder which player would be released to make room for the third-year pro out of Georgia. With Robinson’s return made official on the Tuesday before Week 17, that question was answered, with Tre Swilling losing his spot in correspondence with the signing.

A four-star recruit-turned-undrafted rookie from the 2022 class, Swilling started 40 of the 42 games he appeared in over his five-year tenure at Georgia Tech and was named to the all-ACC academic team twice, as a redshirt freshman in 2018 and as a redshirt junior in 2021.

Initially signed by the Tennessee Titans after failing to hear his name called during the 2022 NFL draft, Swilling was released coming out of camp, was then signed onto the New Orleans Saints on September 12 and then onto the 49ers practice squad on December 20, 2022, where he lasted a week before being released.

With no professional on-field experience on his resume so far, minus the 2022 preseason, Swilling will now have to look for his next opportunity elsewhere, unless, of course, the 49ers opt to bring him back, as John Lynch tends to move players around to and from the practice squad fairly frequently.

The San Francisco 49ers’ Practice Squad Is Flush With DBs

Despite saying goodbye to Swilling, the 49ers need not worry about having a deficiency in the defensive backfield, as Lynch has amassed an expansive collection of cornerbacks and safeties on the practice squad.

Excluding Dontae Johnson, who is on the practice squad injury reserve, the Niners have three defensive backs on their practice squad, with 11th-year pro “Jackrabbit” Janoris Jenkins and rookie UCLA product Qwuantrezz Knight at cornerback and rookie San Diego State safety Tayler Hawkins. Of the trio, only Jenkins has NFL experience in 2022 or otherwise, but considering he’s played 8,220 defensive snaps and made it to the Pro Bowl in 2016, the team shouldn’t be too concerned if he’s thrust into action, as was the case in Week 15.

Charvarius Ward Has Given the San Francisco 49ers a True CB1

Speaking to reporters ahead of Week 16, defensive coordinator Demeco Ryans commented on the decision to have Charvarius Ward follow DK Metcalf across the formation inside of manning one side of the field like other former San Fransico CB1s like Richard Sherman.

“Yeah, it’s confidence that Mooney brings to our entire defense,” Ryans said via 49ers WebZone. “When you have a guy who can go and match up against a top receiver in this league, like Metcalf, it’s just confidence for everyone. You know Mooney is going to go over there, you know he’s going to do a great job no matter who he’s lined up against, so it’s a breath of fresh air knowing that he can handle the top wide receiver on the other team.”

Asked a follow-up question as to whether or not the 49ers intended to use Ward as a “shadow” cornerback when he was signed by the team in free agency, Ryans said no, that the development was instead a welcomed one.

“It just emerged. From a game planning standpoint of what we need to do to win the game that particular week versus Seattle, we felt like that’s what we needed to do and that allowed us to win the game. Mooney played an, outstanding game. He challenged their best guy and he went up and made plays, so I’m really happy for Mooney and for him to go out and play that way that allowed us to be NFC West champs. All the credit, hat off to Mooney for the job that he did, it was awesome to watch.”

With the playoffs rapidly approaching and a slew of top-tier wide receivers like A.J. Brown, Justin Jefferson, Mike Evans, and CeeDee Lamb all potential opponents on the way to a Super Bowl berth, being able to lock Ward on an opposing team’s pass catcher could prove incredibly valuable, especially with a dominant pass rush in front of him.