Cheap Free Agents the 49ers Should Target, Part 6 — Offensive Tackle
The San Francisco 49ers have a couple questions regarding offensive tackle that they must address before training camp.
Left tackle Trent Williams is a free agent and will likely get top-3 money at the position. It would be ideal to re-sign him, but he might price himself out of their budget.
Right tackle Mike McGlinchey is under contract, but he severely regressed in 2020 with 32 blown blocks (3.1% of blocks), which is double his 2019 number, and five penalties (per Sports Info Solutions). San Francisco needs insurance if he doesn’t limit his weekly lowlights and return to form.
Fortunately for the 49ers, there are options on how to rebuild the depth, whether through the draft, trade or free agency.
For the first offensive installment of the “Cheap Free Agents the 49ers Should Target,” we look at offensive tackle. You can check out all the past articles on the defensive positions: safety, cornerback, linebacker, edge rusher and defensive tackle.
The most experienced inexpensive option at right tackle is Mike Remmers. If one is unfamiliar with his work, they can watch him block for Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl this weekend.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan seems comfortable with McGlinchey returning as the starting right tackle, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t acquire competition.
Remmers stepped into Kansas City’s starting lineup when Mitchell Schwartz got injured, and started 10 games in 2020. He stabilized the line with only 2.3% of snaps listed as blown blocks in the Chiefs’ quick moving offense (per SIS).
He’s started at least 10 games the previous five seasons as well, including some time at right guard.
Remmers’ skills and experience check all the 49ers’ boxes. He would provide depth at both right tackle and guard, and could step in if anyone on the right side underperforms.
He made $1.05 million in 2020. The 49ers should repurpose part of Tom Compton’s expired salary ($2.75 million) and use it to draw Remmers away from Kansas City and improve their right side.
As for the left side, the 49ers must re-sign Williams, invest in the draft, go after a midlevel free agent starter like Alejandro Villanueva or trade for a 2022-expiring deal like Terron Armstead.
If that all fails, one cheap option that can hold over left tackle for a season is Arizona Cardinals’ right tackle Kelvin Beachum.
Beachum played all 16 games for Arizona in 2020 and rebuilt the value lost from a down year as the Jets’ left tackle. He graded a 69.0 on PFF and had a minuscule 1.4% blown blocks on 1,065 snaps (per SIS).
Arizona will likely do everything to keep him, but if the 49ers can entice Beachum ($1.05 million) with a small pay bump, they would have a quick and inexpensive insurance plan for Williams.
Some other free agents that would provide depth, but come with their own flaws, are the Chargers’ Sam Tevi, Houston’s Roderick Johnson and Indianapolis’ Chaz Green.
None are game-changers. Yet they should all be available for under $2 million, and would bring competition to McGlinchey and reserve tackle Justin Skule.
Production from both offensive tackles is key in Shanhan’s offense. That became evident rather quickly this season. If the 49ers lose out on Williams and the top draft prospects, these names would help stabilize their loss.
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