San Francisco 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers has challenged the reserve cornerbacks to step up and fill the gap left by the injured Chris Culliver.
Culliver suffered a season-ending knee injury on Thursday, leaving the 49ers without their usual third cornerback behind Tarell Brown and Rogers.
Rogers believes that Culliver will come back stronger from his injury and hopes that he can forge a similar understanding with his replacement - likely to be Tramaine Brock - while the 24-year-old is sidelined.
"[Culliver] played a big role on this team, not only defensively but special teams," Rogers told reporters.
"Chris went down, but he'll be strong and come back. It just gives other guys opportunities to step up and play for that third corner position. Chris and I had that down because we played so many snaps together.
"I'd just look out there at Chris and point at the receiver or something, and he'd know what I mean. Me and Tramaine are going to have to get that same communication down, or whoever is on the outside."
The 49ers are reported to be lining up another move for free agent Eric Rogers, who failed a physical ahead of a proposed move to the franchise last month.
Barney Corkhill
