Which 49ers Offensive Lineman Needs a Breakout Season?
A player from each position group on the 49ers needs to break out.
Previously, I wrote about which wide receiver on the Niners desperately needed to have a breakout season. Of course, more than one player in each group needs and can have a breakout year, but there is always that one specific player who needs to have it more than anyone else. When it comes to the offensive line, there are plenty of players to chose from.
So which 49ers offensive lineman needs a breakout season?
The only answer is right tackle Mike McGlinchey.
2020 was abysmal for McGlinchey, yet the 49ers still had enough belief in his ability that they picked up his fifth-year option. Although, they kind of had to pick it up to avoid finding the answer at an offensive tackle position for the third consecutive offseason. McGlinchey needs a breakout season to bury the narrative of him being soft.
It wasn't just the lapses and inconsistencies of his pass blocking that brought him to the forefront of criticism. It was his lashing out in press conferences and twitter that really painted him as a target. The criticism for his poor performances would have been just that, but once he started showing how mentally fragile he was -- it was over.
McGlinchey has to be firm in 2021, both as a pass blocker and a leader. He must not worry about the outside noise that stems from his performances, but focus on keeping everyone focused and maintaining his own. While I have been one of his largest critics, I do believe McGlinchey is going to shut me and the rest of his critics up this season. He needs to finally show why he was a top-10 pick because he looks like an overdraft right now.
He also needs to be strong this season and even beyond so that he can either ink a lucrative contract extension with the 49ers or find a new home with a sweet salary. These next two seasons are huge for McGlinchey, but he needs to get it together in 2021 to make 2022 worth anything.
An honorable mention in this article would be Trent Williams. After the 49ers made him a top paid offensive lineman, he cannot start to have some poor games and be on the steep decline. Otherwise, the 49ers will look a bit foolish in coughing up all that cash for him.
