San Francisco 49ers: Identifying 10 cornerstone players for 2018
By Peter Panacy
![SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to their game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) SANTA CLARA, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to their game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/12ca9dd290ff07f2a8100e812c41d056a0f7cb91310834f94211c5fc6263d8db.jpg)
No. 6: Right Tackle Trent Brown
Week 9 provided a case study what the 49ers may do when the time comes to move on from the veteran left tackle, Joe Staley.
Staley (eye) missed action against the Cardinals, which forced the Niners to swap right tackle Trent Brown over to Staley’s spot. Considering Staley will be 34 years old next season, such a move might be something the 49ers look at for a long-term replacement.
Brown didn’t disappoint either, allowing just one quarterback hurry, per Pro Football Focus (h/t David Fucillo of Niners Nation), and holding his own against Cardinals edge rushers like Hasaan Reddick:
Arizona tried sending Haason Reddick at Trent Brown. Didn't work... pic.twitter.com/VBRnOSSIoX
— Nicholas McGee (@nicholasmcgee24) November 8, 2017
Brown has been one of the few late-round finds from former general manager Trent Baalke, and it might be wise for San Francisco to lock up the 24-year-old veteran sooner than later.