49ers release Tramaine Brock after arrest in domestic violence case

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock was released from the team Friday after his arrest in a domestic-violence clash that left his girlfriend with “visible injuries.”

The team announced Brock's release via news release and on Twitter, but did not immediately detail its decision or respond to requests for comment. Brock was arrested Thursday night at his Santa Clara home.

Santa Clara police were called about 9:35 p.m. to the 4000 block of Headen Way for reports of domestic violence and found the injured woman who “was in a dating relationship with” Brock, police said in a news release.

Brock was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence and booked at the Santa Clara County jail. He was released around noon after posting bail.

“I really got nothing to say about it,” Brock said to ABC7 upon leaving the jail.

When pressed, he gave a similar response: “No, not too much to say about it.”

Police Lt. Dan Moreno said Brock was arrested without incident, and that the victim was the person who called police.

She suffered minor injuries and did not require medical attention, Moreno said. Brock does not appear to have had any prior criminal contact with Santa Clara police since he has been with the team.

“To my knowledge, no,” Moreno said when asked if Brock had been the subject of any previous police calls.

Friday's release of Brock means the 49ers' roster overhaul must now also produce a new starting cornerback.

Brock vacates the left cornerback role where he's started all but one game the past two seasons, plus other games dating to 2013.

New coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh have several replacement candidates to comb through ahead of the April 27-29 draft. A voluntarily minicamp April 25-27 will be the first on-field auditions under the new regime for 49ers-drafted cornerback candidates Rashard Robinson, Jimmie Ward, Keith Reaser, Dontae Johnson, Will Redmond and Prince Charles Iworah.

Ward, despite his debut at outside cornerback last year, was to possibly switch this offseason to free safety. He's also played nickel back, which is where K'Waun Williams and JaCorey Shepherd also will compete.

Brock was one of the 49ers' longest tenured players, having joined the team in 2010 as an undrafted free agent. Only Joe Staley, Ahmad Brooks and NaVorro Bowman have been with the team longer.

Brock, 28, started every game last season and had one interception in 16 starts last season for a defense that allowed the most points in franchise history en route to a 2-14 record and No. 2 overall draft slot. He started all but one game in 2015 and broke into the starting lineup in 2013.

One of Brock's more memorable plays was his deflection of a pass that NaVorro Bowman intercepted and returned for a touchdown in Candlestick Park's 2013 finale.

Brock was scheduled to make $3.1 million this season in the final year of a four-year, $14 million extension.

Brock's arrest adds to an array of violent and domestic-violence arrests involving 49ers players over the past few years, most notably Ray McDonald, Aldon Smith, Bruce Miller, Brooks and Chris Culliver, nearly all of whom are also no longer with the team.

Since 2012, when Smith was infamously arrested on weapons charges after a shooting broke out at a party held at his home in the San Jose foothills, the 49ers have led the NFL in player arrests with 15.