Niner Noise
FanSided

49ers running game growing pains heading into 2017

By Jonah Burros

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 27: Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter in the preseason game on August 27, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 27: Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter in the preseason game on August 27, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 25: The San Francisco offensive line prepares to block against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on September 25, 2011 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 25: The San Francisco offensive line prepares to block against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on September 25, 2011 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

No. 1 Offensive Line

The 49ers preseason included a lot of moves, the offensive line came across as a position bracket that they had the most trouble improving.

It was one of the worst O-line draft classes in ages, and the free-agent market was not one that they could take advantage of with the few big names out there, due to the lack of interest, yet developed in a rebuild year from those few players.

The 49ers offensive line has showed a lot of promise in pass protection in the preseason, and that is a huge improvement from what it was a year ago. The run blocking, on the other hand, has proved to be a major issue.

The tackles have shined as the vanguard out of this group, Joe Staley and Trent Brown have established themselves as elite, in many regards, with Brown still needing to be a bit more mobile in the outside zone run-blocking scheme.

The interior three is where the problem sits.

Injuries and below-average play from the guards and centers has given a blueprint to opposing defenses on how to disrupt the 49ers game plan.

The 49ers have made moves and acquisitions — such as trading for former Detroit Lions guard Laken Tomlinson — in hopes of improving this hitch, but there isn’t a lot of promise that could lead anyone to believe that it is close to being fixed.