In early August, 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said the jury was still out in terms of whether cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha would have a role on defense with the team in 2013.
August is almost over and Asomugha has made good use of the month because Fangio now says that Asomugha is the team’s third cornerback. Asomugha and Tramaine Brock were competing to take the spot after Chris Culliver was lost for the season with a torn ACL and Brock had the early lead, but Asomugha has “played much better” and moved ahead of Brock on the depth chart. It’s a big role in the 49ers defense as Culliver played on more than half the snaps last season and it’s one Fangio thinks Asomugha can handle.
“He’s still playing at a good enough level to be a major part of our defense,” Fangio said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Brock is still on hand and Eric Wright is on the non-football injury list awaiting clearance to return to action, so the 49ers have options should they decide to make a change in the future. For now, though, Asomugha will have a chance to write a more successful chapter in his career than he was able to write during his two years with the Eagles.