Niner Noise
FanSided

5 burning questions for the 49ers after the 2019 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 25: Nick Bosa of Ohio State with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being announced as the second pick in the first round of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 25: Nick Bosa of Ohio State with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being announced as the second pick in the first round of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 30: Laken Tomlinson #75 of the San Francisco 49ers is taken from the field after being injured in a game with the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Rams won 48-32. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 30: Laken Tomlinson #75 of the San Francisco 49ers is taken from the field after being injured in a game with the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Rams won 48-32. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

No. 5: Will the 49ers Interior Offensive Line Be Effective Enough?

The 49ers made only one addition to their offensive line during the NFL Draft, grabbing Justin Skule to compete with last year’s trade acquisition, Shon Coleman, for the primary swing-tackle role in 2019.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

Addressing the O-line was a quiet need Niner Noise stressed in the weeks and months preceding the draft itself. And while San Francisco brought aboard undrafted free-agent offensive guard Ross Reynolds out of Iowa, it’s still possible to express a bit of worry how this group will pan out early this upcoming season.

Two of the 49ers’ projected starters, left guard Laken Tomlinson and center Weston Richburg, are coming off knee injuries suffered last year. Right guard Mike Person is versatile and projects to start again this season, yet it might be wise for Kyle Shanahan to keep him in a prime backup role for the interior.

Especially if the Niners’ former first-round pick, Joshua Garnett, is no longer in the team’s future plans.

Simply put, if you’re thinking San Francisco’s O-line was just fine last year, Football Outsiders ranked this unit 10th in run blocking, yet 22nd in pass protection.

It’s not a complete unit, and it appears as if the 49ers are banking on a bounce-back campaign from Richburg and the starters staying healthy for the majority of 2019.