49ers Did Their “Due Diligence” on Eric Wright

The San Francisco 49ers agreed to a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for cornerback Eric Wright. The Buccaneers get a conditional 2014 draft pick. In 2012 he was suspended for performance enhancing drugs and voided the guaranteed money on his deal, that made him a candidate to be cut before the trade.

Wright took a one year deal worth $1.5 million with Tampa, before the trade. Apparently on July 12th, the Buccaneers cornerback was arrested on suspicion of a DUI, while trade talks were ongoing.

Pro Football Talk says that the Bucs shared the details of the arrest:

"Per a league source with knowledge of the discussions, the Buccaneers disclosed the July 12 arrest for suspicion of DUI during trade talks with the 49ers."

But 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is reassuring fans that the team has done their due diligence before bringing Wright aboard.

“We are pleased to add Eric to our team,” Baalke said, via Pro Football Talk.  “As an organization, we have done our due diligence and anticipate Eric working hard to contribute to the 49ers.”

The release from the 49ers expressly points out that, “[f]or the trade to be executed, Wright must pass a physical in the Bay Area next week.” A quick way for the 49ers to get out of this trade, if they decided to because they didn’t do their due diligence, would be flunking him on the physical.