Eric Wright was a member of the San Francisco 49ers for just a few hours. After the team traded with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the cornerback, Wright immediately failed the team physical, voiding the trade and sending him back to Tampa. The Buccaneers responded by waiving Wright and making him a free agent. So, could the cornerback find himself back in the Bay Area? According to San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke, it is possible.
Wright's failed physical comes off the heels of his discovered DUI arrest that happened earlier in July. While the 49ers claimed to have known about the arrest prior to making the trade, Tampa Bay was not about to take it on after Wright got sent back. Baalke insists he was well aware of Wright's off-the-field issues, stating the Buccaneers were very forthcoming with that info.
Wrights string of off the field incidents had many wondering why San Francisco was interested in the first place. Besides the DUI arrest, Wright was suspended four games for use of performance enhancing drugs. Baalke would only say San Francisco did their due diligence on Wright and will keep the door open for his return.
"The door is never closed on players," Baalke said. "With respect to Eric, there's always a possibility that he becomes a Niner at some point. Just not now...All the work we did and the discussion that we had with Eric when he came in here was very positive. There were some concerns. We addressed the concerns, but once again he's not with us. We'd rather talk about guys that are here."
So, Wright's health concerns were obviously not enough to rule him out entirely. His career in the NFL has been rough lately. He signed a five-year contract with Tampa Bay prior to the 2012 season, only to essentially be a complete bust for the team. He played 10 games last season while dealing with an Achilles injury. He racked up 37 total tackles and one interception.
Wright has shown signs of being great. He was a standout player with the Detroit Lions. If the 49ers believe he can return to that status, he will likely find his way out to the team.
