San Francisco 49ers: 2017 midterm positional grades after Week 8
By Peter Panacy
Offensive Line
The offensive line was a major problem for the 49ers in 2016, and it continues to be the case this season.
Injuries have played a factor once more, especially with tackles Joe Staley (eye) and Trent Brown (concussion) missing time in Week 8 and likely beyond. Sadly, they’ve been the best performers along the O-line this season.
Center Daniel Kilgore, who beat out Jeremy Zuttah during camp, has the seventh-lowest Pro Football Focus grade (43.7) out of any qualifying center. And the guard play around him hasn’t been much better.
What the 49ers Are Doing Well
Brown got off to a solid start before his Week 7 concussion, as he’s allowed just one sack and only 12 quarterback pressures prior to the injury. Staley has been a little more vulnerable, giving up 18 pressures, but one might figure this as teams typically rush their best pass-rusher against left tackles.
Overall, San Francisco’s O-line ranks 20th in pass protection, according to Football Outsiders, which is up from 30th a year ago.
And the once-last place run support in 2016? It’s up to 14th.
What Needs Improvement
It’s looking like the pre-Week 1 trade for former Detroit Lions guard Laken Tomlinson, who replaced the injured Joshua Garnett at left guard, is merely going to be a stopgap option.
Tomlinson and the interior O-line blockers have been the primary source of problems for San Francisco’s pass protection.
PFF currently ranks San Francisco’s O-line 18th in pass-blocking efficiency (76.3), and can only imagine what that number would look like if Brown and Staley were out of the picture.
They might be for a while too. Linemen Garry Gilliam, Zane Beadles and undrafted rookie Erik Magnuson comprise the backups.
As with the cornerback position, look for the interior O-line to be a major point of focus in 2018.