Which Offensive Player on the 49ers Faces the Most Pressure in 2023?

The quarterbacks are usually at the forefront of this answer, as they should be, but that is the cop out answer.

Pressure is something every NFL player faces, especially for ones on a playoff contender like the 49ers.

The quarterbacks are usually at the forefront of this answer, as they should be, but that is the cop out answer. Besides, it is kind of blurry with who the starting quarterback on the 49ers will be. There is another player who I have in mind that is on the offensive side of the ball. 

So, which offensive player on the 49ers faces the most pressure in 2023?

It has to be right tackle Colton McKivitz. The amount of pressure that is being placed on his shoulders is practically on par with that of a starting quarterback. Expectations are high on McKivitz, especially since he is the replacement for Mike McGlinchey. Now, McGlinchey was not a great starter, but he was at least a cut above the rest like McKivitz. All of a sudden, he is an adequate talent who can easily replace McGlinchey.

This is an incredibly risky move by the 49ers here. Last year, they did something "similar" at center with Jake Brendel replacing the retired Alex Mack. But center isn't remotely close to the impact as an offensive tackle who is on an island. Centers and guards have always been the most replaceable pieces on an offensive line -- offensive tackles aren't. 

The 49ers better hope that offensive line coach Chris Foerster can tap into any potential that McKivitz has to make him adequate. Being sufficient will not get the job done here. Defenses will just keep going at him with their best pass rushes and run overload blitzes to his side to give an easy lane to the quarterback. The 49ers are almost asking for their quarterbacks to get hurt again by putting all their chips on McKivitz.

Either the 49ers are going to look like geniuses for instilling McKivitz as the starter, or they are going to look like complete morons for banking on him.