San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the top 25 players for 2018
By Chris Wilson
2. T Joe Staley
As the 49ers’ center, Richburg is expected to be the leader of the offensive line, but left tackle Joe Staley is San Francisco’s most important offensive lineman. Staley has been the team’s blind-side protector for the past decade — an important job with any QB under center, but especially with the team’s new expensive franchise quarterback.
After talk of an age-related decline in 2016, Staley had one of his best seasons in 2017 at age 33. In a rare move in today’s NFL, Lynch and Shanahan rewarded Staley with an offseason raise; by simply reworking his contract instead of extending it, Staley will receive an additional $6.5 million, and the 49ers will receive an appreciative left tackle.
While on its face, the deal appears to be a poor business decision, the 49ers’ front office realizes Staley’s importance to the team — and that a content top-tier tackle is well-paid insurance for their top-dollar quarterback.
As the glue that holds the offensive line together, losing Staley would be a crippling blow for the 49ers’ offense. The San Francisco 49ers need their left tackle to remain healthy and continue to play at a Pro Bowl level in order for the offense to flourish in 2018.