Whitner on way back home for Browns, not Staying with San Francisco 49ers

SANTA CLARA -- As Donte Whitner left for his native Cleveland to help repair the +Cleveland Browns, the +San Francisco 49ers quickly replaced him with another veteran safety, Antoine Bethea.

But that isn't the only change in the 49ers' shifting secondary.

Carlos Rogers officially got released, joining three other 49ers cornerbacks who hit the free agent market Tuesday: Tarell Brown, Eric Wright and Perrish Cox.

Meanwhile, kicker Phil Dawson re-signed on a two-year deal and quarterback Blaine Gabbert was acquired in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round draft pick.

Instead of returning for a fourth season, Whitner became the first player from last season's NFC runner-up team to sign elsewhere (four years, $28 million; per +ESPN and +NFL Media).

49ers safety Donte Whitner is ready
 to test free agency.
 (LiPo Ching / Mercury News)

"My time in San Fran will always be cherished!" Whitner posted on Twitter. "I love everything about the place. I left my heart and soul out there each and every week."

Bethea, a two-time Pro Bowler in eight seasons with the +Indianapolis Colts, becomes the front-runner to pair with second-year safety Eric Reid. Bethea signed a four-year, $26 million deal, according to the Indianapolis Star.

"Glad to be a Niner!! Going to the Bay!!!" Bethea posted on Twitter.

Bethea, 29, totaled 14 interceptions in 123 career starts for the Colts. Like Whitner, he is a product of the 2006 draft, although he was a sixth-round pick out of Howard whereas Whitner went No. 6 overall out of Ohio State (to the Buffalo Bills).

Unlike Whitner, Bethea rarely has drawn penalties, and he wasn't called for any last season. Bethea has been penalized 13 times in eight seasons, and only three of those infractions were for unnecessary roughness. Whitner got flagged a team-high five unnecessary-roughness last season, including in the NFC Championship game loss to the Seahawks.

"The business side to the league is never fun," Reid posted on Twitter. "Hate to see him go but happy for my man @DonteWhitner. Appreciate everything you did for me."

While Whitner's physical reputation prompted him to considered changing his name to "Hitner" during the season, though he ultimately withdrew his application in his native Cleveland.

Whitner started all but one game since joining the 49ers in 2011 as a free agent. He played his first five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, who drafted him in the first round out of Ohio State.

Starting alongside rookie safety Eric Reid last season, Whitner produced 103 tackles and two interceptions, as well as an interception in the NFC divisional-playoff win at +Carolina Panthers. Whitner allowed only two touchdown catches in coverage last season, down drastically from the 12 he yielded through the 2012 Super Bowl run, according to Pro Football Reference.

Whitner earned his first Pro Bowl invitation in 2012, and he won the Garry Niver Award in 2011 and 2013 for his professionalism and cooperation with the 49ers media. He is the fifth Niver winner since 2003 to not return to the team the following season.

The Browns haven't made the playoffs since the 2002 season, when Whitner was a senior at Cleveland's Glenville High, where he was coached by Ted Ginn Sr. The Browns have won only four or five games each season since 2008.