49ers need to trade offensive guard Joshua Garnett

San Francisco 49ers offensive guard Joshua Garnett has been absent from training camp with an injury, frustrating head coach Kyle Shanahan. And here’s why Garnett should be traded as soon as possible.

The San Francisco 49ers need to trade offensive guard Joshua Garnett as soon as possible.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan made some interesting remarks about Garnett following his team’s Wednesday training camp practice from Santa Clara.

“It’s tough to make this team and do it if you’re not out there,” Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday (h/t 49ers Webzone). “I was a little surprised Garnett didn’t make it today. I’d be more surprised if he’s not out there tomorrow.”

Well, that tomorrow came and Garnett was, yet again, according to the San Jose Mercury News‘ Cam Inman:

If you were unaware, Garnett bumped knees with a teammate during last week’s camp session. The injury was expected to be minor, and Garnett’s return appeared imminent. Important too. After all, he’s expected to battle it out with offseason free-agent pickup Jonathan Cooper for the team’s starting right guard position.

Cooper was just cleared to return to practice. He underwent offseason MCL surgery and is currently working on individual drills.

While health has long been a factor in Cooper’s career, the same is beginning to apply to Garnett as well. He missed all of 2017 with a knee injury. And after a sub-par rookie 2016 season, one for which Pro Football Focus dished out a lowly 45.7 overall grade, the former first-round NFL Draft choice from ousted general manager Trent Baalke surely hasn’t endeared himself to the new regime.

Yet Shanahan and now-GM John Lynch haven’t been shy about moving on from Baalke’s selections, even high-profile ones. And Lynch shouldn’t hesitate any longer.

A big portion of the equation is scheme, which Niner Noise detailed earlier this offseason. Garnett played a power-run scheme at Stanford, where Shanahan’s outside zone requires far more athleticism and ability to block in space.

Players can adjust to it, of course, and the Niners asked Garnett to trim his weight entering 2018. While that’s happened, the most recent injury certainly hurts Garnett’s chances to stick around.

As former KNBR 680 insider Kevin Jones pointed out, Garnett’s trade value won’t be any higher than it is right now. And if the Niners can net, let’s say, a fourth-round pick in exchange, Lynch should gladly accept.

It’s a deal that shouldn’t be too tough to make. For starters, Garnett still has two years left on his rookie deal, plus the fifth-year option for former first rounders. Unlike the NHL or MLB, NFL teams rarely trade for one-year rentals. The multiyear security on a relatively low contract is attractive.

Second, the 49ers have an excellent rapport with a team that runs plenty of power runs and has a need at right guard, the Denver Broncos.

Here’s what we had to say about a possible Garnett-to-Denver deal earlier this offseason:

"The Broncos ran zone just 50.7 percent of the time last season (24th most in the NFL), per Pro Football Focus, and they have some notable question marks at right guard, according to the Denver Post’s Ryan O’Halloran, heading into training camp."

With the Broncos looking to upgrade their offensive line, namely to protect quarterback Case Keenum, getting Garnett aboard would help matters significantly. And nearly any compensation would bolster the Niners’ much-needed draft stockpile heading into 2019.

If San Francisco doesn’t make a move, however, there’s a real chance Garnett loses out this competition at right guard. And if that’s the case, he’ll have almost zero trade value and would even be at a serious risk of not making the 53-man roster at all in 2018.

Get on the phone, Mr. Lynch.