Did the 49ers Sign Chris Hubbard to Compete to Start at Right Tackle?

Free agent additions in May are usually for depth, but there could be a chance the 49ers signed offensive tackle Chris Hubbard to compete for a starting role.

Sep 17, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Chris Hubbard (66) and | Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The free agency frenzy for teams may be over, but that doesn't mean additions won't cease.

On Tuesday, the San Francisco 49ers signed former Tennesse Titans offensive tackle Chris Hubbard to a one-year deal for $1.375 million contract. Usually free agent signings at this point are simply for depth and for players who might not even make the final roster cuts in training camp.

However, Hubbard is an interesting case because he plays right tackle and is actually coming off a decent season. In the nine games that he started for the Titans, he only allowed four sacks and a total of 18 pressures. That is dramatically better than starting right tackle Colton McKivitz. He allowed nine sacks and a total of 47 pressures last season.

The only reason Hubbard was still a free agent is because of his age. He is 33 years old with a lot of wear and tear on him. Plus, he is coming off a season where it was limited to nine games because of a biceps injury that ended his year. But at the price the 49ers got him, it was too good to pass up.

Given how much better he looked than McKivitz, albeit a limited sample size, did the 49ers sign Hubbard to compete to start at right tackle?

There is certainly a chance he does. It really all hinges on his health and if he can pick up where he left off before he injured his bicep. That is likely why he spent so long as a free agent. Teams didn't want to sign him until there was more clarity on his injury. It happens all the time since it makes no sense to committ money to a player who is a huge variable.

Hubbard is about six months removed since he initially injured it, so I'm sure the 49ers have a great idea on how he is trending. Besides, Hubbard came at such a cheap price. This is a perfect example of low risk, high reward. If Hubbard is looking shaky and not worth the time, then the 49ers can simply cut him during finalization of the roster at the end of training camp.

But if he does look promising and rounding it, then the 49ers have an interesting player on their hands to push McKivitz and possibly supplant him.