Do the 49ers Have an Adequate Backup Plan if Alex Mack Retires?
Uncertainty with Alex Mack’s future is still circling the 49ers.
Judging from the lack of centers they drafted, you would think that Mack returning is more likely than not.
However, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch still have aren’t confident if he’ll return. They have an idea on which way he’s leaning (I’d guess retirement), but still nothing definitive. Mack returning would be ideal for the 49ers given that their backup plan at center is rather… interesting.
“We have Jake Brendel who is not a household name but we have a lot of confidence in his ability. We have talked about Mack's situation, we'll see where that ends up. (Nick) Zakelj might have some flex there as well. So we're going to work through it and we'll find it. We'll find that answer.”
So basically the backup plan if Mack retires is either Jake Brendel, who has 37 games and three starts to his name, and rookie Nick Zakelj, who is an offensive tackle. To quote the movie “Dodgeball” regarding this backup plan, “That’s a bold strategy Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for them.”
Do the 49ers have an adequate backup plan if Mack retires?
Not at all.
This feels like 2020 all over again at the center position. In training camp, the 49ers were scrambling to find a sufficient player there with Hroniss Grasu, Daniel Brunskill, and others. That’s something the 49ers have to avoid. Center is a valuable position, and it only gets emphasized greater with the 49ers.
Anytime the 49ers didn’t have a solid player at the position — they crumbled. Even in 2019 the 49ers had issues with the interior offensive line en route to a Super Bowl. It’s not a coincidence it got bad once Weston Richburg sustained a season-ending injury. Sure enough, the interior offensive line plagued them in the loss.
The 49ers are practically all-or-nothing with Mack.
If he doesn’t return, it’ll be tough sledding for Trey Lance as his entire offensive line will be questionable outside of Trent Williams. Not really what you want out of your second-year quarterback who’s getting his first full season to start. The Niners’ backup plans has “yikes” written all over it with Brendel, Zakelj, and even Brunskill since he’s familiar. But if you ask Lynch, there’s confidence in that plan.
“We feel like we drafted two inside guys. They both played tackle in college, we feel like we drafted two inside guys, but you want to see everyone at center.” Said Lynch. “Usually have one center, but you’ve got to have somebody else who can play it. Dan’s done that so you definitely have an option there. Just talked about Jake Brendel, who we're excited about.
So keeping our fingers crossed on Mack, but we got to plan and know we can't count on it, but will have to have a center, love to have a safety, but we do the best with our picks and I love the guys that we did add and an O-Lineman who can play inside you hope they can play center, but we'll find that out in camp.”
And when the 49ers find out in camp, it’ll be too late. Finding someone randomly to fit in and be decent is a stretch. Let’s see if their plan ends up working out should Mack actually retire.
I’m not holding my breath.
