49ers' Brown may be demoted

<p>SANTA CLARA — Cornerback Tarell Brown surprisingly replaced the 49ers’ highest-priced defensive player in the starting lineup four weeks ago.</p><p>But it will not be a shock if Brown is demoted Sunday when the 49ers take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at Candlestick Park.</p><p>Coach Mike Singletary, looking for solutions for the 49ers’ 30th-ranked pass defense, is considering moving veteran Dre’ Bly into the starting lineup in place of Brown, who struggled Sunday against the Green Bay Packers before leaving with a bruised knee.</p><p>“We are just going to look at some things and see how it works out and go from there,” Singletary said on Wednesday.</p><p>Bly, an 11-year veteran, signed with the 49ers in May. He accepted a one-year contract for the minimum salary to replace Walt Harris, who was ruled out for the regular season with a torn knee ligament.</p><p>But Bly did not win the starting job for the 49ers in training camp. Shawntae Spencer won the competition over Bly and Brown to open the season as the starter.</p><p>Clements, who entered the season as the team’s undisputed best cornerback, was demoted as a starter for the Nov. 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts. Then, Clements was sidelined indefinitely when he sustained a broken shoulder blade while returning a punt in that game. Brown made starts each of the past four games before his job security became threatened. Bly has 111 career starts, so he knows the routine.</p><p>“I’ve been a starter my whole life, so that’s what I’m expecting,” Bly said. “I expect to always play on Sundays.”</p><p>Singletary said the 49ers’ defense is failing to perform “the little things” that can turn a good defense into a great one. The problem is the 49ers rank in the lower third of the NFL in team defense. And their pass defense is abysmal. Only Tennessee and Detroit rank lower in yards passing allowed per game.</p><p>In the 49ers’ past six games, the opposing quarterback has averaged 293.8 yards, including a game in which Tennessee’s Vince Young completed 12 of 19 passes for 172 yards.</p><p>Brown is coming off his worst game. He trailed a slant pattern to Green Bay receiver Greg Jennings that turned into a 64-yard touchdown. Later, he failed to make the tackle of Jordy Nelson on a quick hitch. That play went for 7 yards and a touchdown, too.</p><p>Singletary was asked if those missed tackles were part of his diagnosis of the 49ers’ failure to make the little plays.</p><p>“No, that’s a big thing,” Singletary said.</p><p>And it’s such a big thing that Singletary appears to be leaning toward making a switch. Brown said he believes he is doing a good job, but he is prepared to fill any role.</p><p>“As a competitor, you always want to be on the field and make plays,” Brown said. “And the end of the day, if that’s what the coaches decide to do, I just want what’s best for the team.”</p><p>Singletary spent extra time with the 49ers’ secondary last week, as he challenged the group to pick up their play.</p><p>“We just have to continue to work better together and be on the same page, be sharper, be quicker, all those little things,” Singletary said. “It is not like they are covering the wrong guy. It is not like they are calling the wrong thing. I would just like for it to happen faster, that’s all. We just have to play faster.”</p><p><B>EXTRA POINTS</B></p><p>Linebacker Takeo Spikes, who sat out against the Packers with a left hamstring strain is questionable for Sunday’s game. Singletary said Spikes’ availability against the Jaguars would likely be determined 90 minutes prior to the game.</p><p>Guard David Baas (ankle), back Michael Robinson (shoulder stinger) and receiver Arnaz Battle (leg strain) are “day to day.” But Singletary said he expects all the players injured in the Packers game to be available this week. That list includes linebacker Patrick Willis (trapezius strain), safeties Mark Roman (rib contusion), Reggie Smith (abdominal strain) and Marcus Hudson (back spasms), and tight end Delanie Walker (forearm contusion).</p><p>For more on the 49ers, go to Instant 49ers at blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers. You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco at matt.maiocco@</p><p>pressdemocrat.com.</p>