Projecting the 49ers Starting Offensive Line for 2023
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When free agency begins on March 15, the 49ers could lose two starting offensive linemen: center Jake Brendel and right tackle Mike McGlinchey. If those two sign elsewhere, which is likely, because the 49ers are short on salary cap space, here are the five offensive who most likely will start Week 1 next season:
Left tackle: Trent Williams
He's still the best left tackle in the NFL, but he'll be 35 next season and will take up $27.2 million of the 49ers cap space, or 11.6 percent. That's a lot. It's so much, the 49ers probably can't afford to re-sign Brendel or McGlinchey, who at best are average veterans. Meaning the 49ers most likely will try to make due with young, cheap offensive linemen until Williams retires, which he could do as soon as next year. He flirted with retirmement this offseason.
Left guard: Aaron Banks
Banks was a second-round pick in 2021. The 49ers redshirted him, made him leaner and stronger and then made him the starting left guard last season. And he was solid for a young, first-year starter making $1.6 million. In fact, he was a bargain. And he still has room to improve. Give 49ers offensive line coach Chris Foerster credit. He gets the most out of the 49ers' young talent.
Center: Nick Zakelj
Zakelj was a sixth-round pick last year who went to Fordham, a small school. The 49ers redshirted him, moved him from left tackle to center because he has short arms, and now he'll get a chance to start at center next season. He never has played center in his life, so the 49ers will have to sign or draft another one, but assuming Zakelj can snap the ball, he has the potential to be good because he's a terrific athlete. He's 6'6", 316 pounds and he ran a 5.13 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He can really move for a big man. Physically, he's similar to Ethan Pocic, who was the Browns starting center in 2022. Pocic will be a free agent in March. Perhaps the 49ers will sign him as insurance. He'd be cheap.
Right guard: Spencer Burford
Burford was a fourth-round pick last year, and he started right away as a 22-year-old rookie, which is impressive. But still, he was a liability and the worst starter on the offensive line. He was so shaky, the 49ers wouldn't let him play full games -- he had to split time with Daniel Brunskill, who frankly was better than Burford. Now Brunskill is a free agent, meaning Burford will have to play more next season. So either he needs to improve dramatically, which could happen, or the 49ers need to get another guard to replace him.
Right tackle: Colton McKivitz
McKivitz was a fifth-round pick in 2020. In 2021, the 49ers waived him, signed him to the practice squad, then elevated him back to the active a few months later. Meaning no other team wanted him. Since then, he has become the 49ers primary backup tackle. He even started at left tackle against the Rams twice the past two seasons when Trent Williams was injured and the 49ers won both games, so he's not a total disaster. Remember, the 49ers have Chris Foerster -- all of these players are extremely well coached. But McKivitz is not a highly-talented player. He's also a free agent, but the 49ers probably can re-sign him for the veteran's minimum. He's attractive only to them, which means they need to look harder for a better right tackle. This position should be their priority this offseason.
Final assessment
This is a c-minus offensive line that Foerster can coach up to being a c-plus offensive line. And Kyle Shanahan can scheme around this weakness most of the season, as he demonstrated during the 49ers' 12-game winning streak. But this is not a Championship offensive line. The 49ers will need to upgrade it to take down the Eagles and Chiefs and win the Super Bowl.
