Eli Apple spent the first month of the 2024 season without a job. The former New Orleans Saints cornerback finds himself in the same situation this offseason. No one has picked up Apple, and this could be the end of the road for him.
The Los Angeles Chargers picked up Apple in October due to injuries in cornerback room. Even then, he was only brought on to the practice squad before being elevated. There's going to be another team that is depleted at that position due to injuries this season. Do they call Apple? Maybe, maybe not.
Once teams start calling you only under those circumstances, the writing is on the wall. It's only a matter of time before your time in the league runs out. Apple didn't last long in Los Angeles before suffering an injury himself. It's difficult to say he did enough or even had enough time to elevate his stock.
Eli Apple's time with the Saints
There's an overall stench on Apple's time in New Orleans. It wasn't all bad, but once it turned bad it only continued to snowball.
Apple joined the team in 2018 via trade, and he was the first of many attempts to find Marshon Lattimore a quality running mate. He was serviceable at first, but the deficiencies that led to his trade from the New York Giants reared its ugly head in his second and final year.
The relationship between him and the fans completely unraveled and spilled onto social media. That's where things cemented his legacy with the Saints. Many players come and go, good and bad. It got to a point where Apple was the target of Saints fans for years after his departure.
The cornerback recently came out and expressed regret over his comments. Apple also said, "the love I got there was something I’ll always appreciate.” It had been a long time since he had something positive to say about the Saints or his time here.
Still, it's about what's on the field, and there's a chance he doesn't get that late opportunity again. His comments may make Saints fans less likely to celebrate his retirement, so Apple may just quietly fade away.