Cheap Free Agents the 49ers Should Target, Part 7 — Interior Offensive Line
Both center and right guard rank inside the San Francisco 49ers’ top-five offseason needs. They must invest in their interior offensive line through the draft and free agency.
Daniel Brunskill (61.7 PFF grade) provides the offensive line much-needed flexibility. His versatility opens up the inexpensive free agent options that would improve the lackluster interior line.
Brunskill bounced between right guard and center this season after an impressive 2019.
By signing an interior lineman, or two, it would allow Brunskill to either better familiarize himself with one position, or return to the sixth-man role where he shines.
For the next look at “Cheap Free Agents the 49ers Should Target,” we move inside and check out the best inexpensive free agents on the interior offensive line. If you need to catch up, check out the past pieces on safety, cornerback, linebacker, edge rusher, defensive tackle and offensive tackle.
Washington guard Brandon Scherff, New England guard Joe Thuney and Green Bay center Corey Linsley are the best available interior offensive linemen, but each is likely to net over $10 million annually.
Atlanta center Alex Mack would be the ideal signing. He played under Kyle Shanahan for two seasons, knows the system, would be a veteran leader to a line that could lose Trent Williams and might be had for under $6 million due to age (35-years old).
If Mack’s price doesn’t drop to the 49ers’ liking and they choose to move on from the stable-when-healthy Ben Garland, some other inexpensive free agents who fit their needs include D.J. Fluker, Dan Feeney, Ryan Groy, Forrest Lamp, Matt Skura, Tyler Larsen and Alex Redmond.
Remember that Tom Compton signed with San Francisco for $2.75 million this past offseason. The 49ers should jump at any potential starting linemen for under $3 million.
Fluker (63.7 PFF) is the most experienced, and is versatile like Brunskill.
He played both guard and tackle in the NFL, most recently starting at right tackle for Baltimore after left tackle Ronnie Stanley’s injury forced a line shake-up.
At 6-foot-5, 342, Fluker adds a powerful blocking complement next to the slighter, and more agile Mike McGlinchey.
He signed for just $1.05 million in 2020 and could be had for a similar price. His 2.1% blown blocks was an improvement over his 2.2% average since 2016 (per Sports Info Solutions), and also better than both Brunskill (2.3%) and Colton McKivitz (2.6%).
If Fluker doesn’t fit the San Francisco mold, they can look at the Chargers’ many free agents. Feeney (48.2 PFF), Groy (57.7 PFF) and Lamp (49.6 PFF) all had down seasons, but are definitely worth one-year flyers.
Groy’s numbers stayed in line the three games he started this season. His impressive 0.8% blown blocks since 2016 (per SIS) is highlighted by two solid years with Buffalo.
The seven-year veteran has experience at both guard and center. At $910K, he would be an upgrade over Hroniss Grasu as the backup center.
Lamp and Feeney are in similar situations. The 2017 second and third round picks had a rough year protecting Justin Herbert. Both had 2.9% blown blocks according to SIS, but were also playing with two underwhelming tackles.
Of the two, Lamp has the most upside, but also comes with injury risk. He’s started just 18 games due to numerous injuries. Yet, 16 of those were in 2020.
Regardless of how the draft and the Mack-situation plays out, the 49ers must capitalize on the interior free agent market by signing one of these players to a low-risk, one-year prove-it deal.
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