The San Francisco 49ers have bolstered their depth in the defensive backfield.
On Tuesday afternoon, the team announced it signed former Minnesota Vikings’ defensive back Antone Exum, Jr. after placing reserve offensive tackle Garry Gilliam on injured reserve.
Exum was a sixth round draft choice of the Vikings in 2014, and spent three years with Minnesota before being released on September 16. Exum played in 27 games over the first two seasons of his career, but spent the entire 2016 season on Minnesota’s injured reserve list. The Virginia Tech product made just six collegiate starts in his final 30 games for the Hokies, but he was a two-time All-ACC Honorable Mention performer.
Gilliam signed with the 49ers as a free agent this offseason, and appeared in each of San Francisco’s first eight games this year including his Week 8 start against the Philadelphia Eagles. Gilliam started in place of Trent Brown when the 49ers battled the Eagles, but he finished the game on the sideline with a knee injury.