No. 5: Offensive Guard Jahri Evans
The 49ers made some moves to upgrade their offensive line this offseason. Two of those — free-agent Zane Beadles and rookie draftee Joshua Garnett — came to address the team’s needs at the guard position.
Aside from fellow guard Andrew Tiller, the 49ers don’t appear to have a lot of promising depth at these positions. Brandon Thomas? No. Marcus Martin? Certainly not. And there isn’t any guarantee Beadles will return to Pro Bowl form or Garnett will adequately adjust from a power-run scheme to an inside-zone approach under head coach Chip Kelly.
So signing guard Jahri Evans might make some sense here — for depth if not for a starting role.
Evans’ 2015 efforts for the New Orleans Saints last year were commendable, as noted by John Breitenbach of Pro Football Focus:
Jahri Evans had a solid overall year (+0.7). Only allowed 12 combined pressures. Would make sense as a stopgap.
— John Breitenbach (@eagleslinc) February 11, 2016
Jahri Evans was the 38th ranked Guard in football according to @PFF. Incognito? 2nd. #Bills pic.twitter.com/x5nWtqFYxe
— Jonah Javad (@JonahJavad) March 7, 2016
There may be questions with scheme fit and, certainly, his age — Evans will be 33 years old on August. But as a backup, one could do worse than Evans.
Why He Could Help
The 49ers obviously want Garnett to develop into a mainstay along the O-line. But if this doesn’t happen in year one, or if Garnett, Beadles or any other starting-caliber guard suffers an injury, the Niners could rest assured knowing a player like Evans could fill in right away and provide immediate support at a good level.
Next: Offensive Tackle Will Beatty