Evaluating the 49ers New-Look Offensive Line
For the first time in two seasons, the San Francisco 49ers will have a new-look offensive line during Week 1 of the season.
A legend decided to hang up the cleats due to nagging injuries. Yes, I am talking about Joe Staley. The six-time Pro Bowl left tackle has held down the left side for 13 seasons and has done a phenomenal job in those years. Despite the injury-riddled season from a fractured fibula to a fractured thumb, Staley was still awarded the highest run-blocking and pass-blocking grades for a 49ers player by Pro Football Focus.
Leave it to general manager John Lynch to find a way to upgrade from a six-time Pro Bowl left tackle.
During the 2020 draft, the 49ers acquired seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams. The 2010 fourth pick was selected by Mike and Kyle Shanahan in their inaugural season with Washington. Although Staley is athletic in his own right, Williams’s athleticism is tailor-made for the Shanahan scheme.
The 2013 season was the last time Shanahan coached Williams and in that season Trent Williams made the Pro Bowl and was awarded as the highest-graded offensive lineman in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. With the addition of Williams, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has to be the happiest guy in the room as his blindside protection won’t miss a beat.
On March 19th, the 49ers moved on from two-year starter at right guard Mike Person. You can’t really blame the team as Person allowed the highest quarterback hurry and pressure rate on the line. Opposing defenses would game plan to attack Person. In three games versus Aaron Donald, Grady Jarrett, and Chris Jones, Person allowed 10 hurries and 13 pressures. The 49ers had no option but to move on.
Much smaller shoes to fill than Staley, that is certain.
Daniel Brunkskill is expected to win the vacated right guard job. Brunskill is very talented to the point he started at three different positions this past season. In two of those games, he started at right guard. Brunskill did fall victim to the talented Donald in a game versus the Rams on Week 16, but Brunskill bounced back in a tough road environment in Seattle for the division title. How did he perform you ask? Well, zero pressures and zero hurries in the biggest game of the season to that point. An upgrade at right guard was exactly what this team needed.
The rest of the group will be surrounded by familiar faces.
Laken Tomlinson will enter Year 4 under Shanahan. Tomlinson isn’t a pro bowl guard but he has shown improvement every season and is undoubtedly a quality and important starter. For example, Tomlinson has allowed eight fewer hurries and ten fewer pressures compared to his first season in the Bay.
Similar to Tomlinson, starting Center Weston Richburg isn’t much more than a quality starter. Coming off a torn patella tendon, if Richburg isn’t ready for Week 1 then look Ben Garland’s way. Garland played at the same level as Richburg last season, so the 49ers are all set at center.
Lastly, watch for third-year right tackle Mike McGlinchey to take a big stride in 2020. He became much more of a quality starter in Year 2, reducing four hurries and nine pressures from his rookie season. Staley was McGlinchey’s mentor -- now look for Williams to take over that role.
Did the offensive line get better?
Absolutely. Not only did they get better, but it also got younger in the process. That doesn’t happen often. Look for Garoppolo to take full advantage in 2020.
