49ers activate CB Eli Apple from practice squad, NFL fines LB Fred Warner

The San Francisco 49ers have announced the elevation of CB Eli Apple from the team's practice squad ahead of Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is a standard elevation, meaning Apple will return to the practice squad after Sunday's game. Apple is likely being elevated due to CB Renardo Green being questionable with a neck injury. Green, a second-year player out of Florida State, did not practice on Friday and was limited on Wednesday and Thursday.

Apple was a first-round draft pick by the New York Giants in 2016. Although he hasn't started a game since 2023, Apple has started 82 games for six teams in his nine seasons. Those teams include the Giants, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and Los Angeles Chargers.

In his career, Apple has six interceptions to go along with 61 passes defended. He has three forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. The 49ers signed Apple in July, but released him in early August. They ultimately brought him back to the practice squad later that month.

Last week, a reporter noticed that Apple was seen wearing one of the players of the week scout team jerseys. When asked what it means for a player in his 10th season to be awarded that honor, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan answered, "I think it says a lot because Eli is a good player. I've gone against him a number of times in this league, and he has been awesome since we've had him here. He was good in training camp, just got hurt after the first week, and he has been great since he's come back.

"He rehabbed away from here really well. I think he's been awesome in these three weeks now on our practice squad, plays DB at a high level, but he got the special teams scout team player of the week, which shows he is doing everything. He's a really awesome example for a guy who started in this league, played at a high level, but an awesome example for all the young guys, just that it really doesn't matter. You've got to work no matter where you're at, and when you do it like that, it's a matter of time where I think he'll help us on Sundays too."

In other 49ers news, the NFL fined LB Fred Warner $23,186 for unnecessary roughness (use of his helmet) in the Week 3 game against the Cardinals. Warner was fined for leading with his helmet on a tackle of Cardinals RB James Connor on a fourth-down run play. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, the fine occurred on the following play: