San Francisco 49ers’ To-Do List in the 2017 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
Help the Offensive Line
The 49ers made one notable move along their offensive line, bringing in former Baltimore Ravens center Jeremy Zuttah to directly compete with incumbent Daniel Kilgore.
The loser either becomes a backup interior lineman or, perhaps, an upgrade over left guard Zane Beadles. It’s doubtful the 49ers are willing to give up on right guard Joshua Garnett, even though he was a bit of a disappointment his rookie season.
Still, this O-line is far from perfect. Last year, according to Football Outsiders, the Niners ranked 30th in pass protection and dead last in run blocking.
Adding Zuttah should help, as centers are a big piece of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system. But there’s more work to be done here.
San Francisco’s tackle situation is in need of help. Veteran Joe Staley is on the wrong side of 30 years old, and John Lynch should look for a replacement sooner than later. Additionally, it’s hard to see right tackle Trent Brown’s fit in a zone-blocking scheme. Sure, his pass protection was decent. But he’s not adequate in the running game.
The problem is this year’s draft doesn’t provide a lot of top-tier linemen options, meaning the 49ers might be forced to settle for a developmental prospect or get lucky and find a late-round gem.