49ers sign former Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown to 53-man roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 49ers have addressed their need for depth in the defensive backfield.

San Francisco has signed former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown to its 53-man roster, the team announced Tuesday afternoon. The news first was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. Brown, 29, was released from the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice squad last week as he looked to rebound from a torn left Achilles suffered in Week 13 of the 2022 NFL season with Dallas.

The 49ers had an open roster spot after placing second-year corner Samuel Womack on injured reserve last week with a knee injury. While Tre Swilling was elevated from the practice squad to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, the undrafted rookie was not added to the 53-man as San Francisco explored its options for the open spot.

Searching for cornerback depth, the 49ers reportedly had a visit with former New Orleans Saint defensive back Bradley Roby on Monday. But they went with Brown to fill the void, who started 69 games for the Cowboys across seven seasons after Dallas selected him in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Before he tore his Achilles last season, Brown had registered 42 tackles with seven pass breakups in 12 starts. He has a 57.5 completion percentage allowed for his career, and the 49ers certainly hope a fully healthy Brown can contribute however they need him to.

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