NFL Nation

          Is Trent Baalke fiddling while 49ers' CB position burns?

          Heading into the start of free agency, Chris Culliver’s departure from the San Francisco 49ers was somewhat expected.

          The Niners’ somewhat cool take on Perrish Cox was not.

          Not when Cox led the 49ers with five interceptions and reiterated at Jim Tomsula’s introductory news conference in January that he hoped to return to Santa Clara.

          But with Culliver, who had all four of his interceptions in the Niners’ last seven games in his first full season as a starter, off to Washington on a four-year, $32-million deal, and Cox visting Washington, the Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans this week, the Niners’ seem intent on rebuilding the secondary.

          And the Niners led the NFL with 23 interceptions last season.

          What, general manager Trent Baalke worried?

          “Feel good about it,” Baalke told reporters earlier this week about the team’s cornerback situation. “Feel real good about it.”

          Wait, what?

          The Niners are about to lose both starting cornerbacks and possibly a third in fellow free agent Chris Cook, and Baalke is fiddling while the grass at Levi’s Stadium burns ... or some such.

          Well, Tramaine Brock, who actually opened the season as a starter before a toe injury suffered in Week 1 torpedoed his season and opened the door for Cox, returns, as does first-round draft pick Jimmie Ward, who is the nickel DB and returns from a fractured foot.

          Plus, there’s Dontae Johnson, who started three games last season as a rookie and had an interception, and two more draft picks from a year ago who did not play due to injury in Kenneth Acker and Keith Reiser.

          The Niners also have three other cornerbacks under contract in Marcus Cromartie, Cameron Fuller and Leon McFadden.

          Beyond that, the Niners are reportedly interested in Shareece Wright, who started his last 27 games with the San Diego Chargers, though he has only one pick in his four-year career after being a third-round draft pick out of USC in 2011.

          “We’re working on a couple of other things still and then…the draft,” Baalke said.

          “I can see the thought process that you may have, but internally, feel good about the group and where it can go.”