49ers: Don’t expect Mike McGlinchey to take over for Joe Staley

With rumors the San Francisco 49ers are looking at veteran left tackle Joe Staley retiring sooner than later, one shouldn’t bank on Mike McGlinchey bumping over from the right side of the offensive line.

When the San Francisco 49ers selected former Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey ninth overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, the long-term idea was he’d be the heir apparent for the team’s longest-tenured player, veteran left tackle Joe Staley.

Through two seasons, the soon-to-be 36-year-old Staley has stuck around, keeping McGlinchey on the far right of the offensive line.

But there are suggestive reports Staley could consider retiring this offseason after an injury-filled 2019 campaign, which ultimately saw the former 2007 first-round draft pick fall just short again of his dream to win a Super Bowl.

Even if Staley returns, finding his replacement remains a priority.

Yet the idea of McGlinchey sliding over from the right side of the O-line to left tackle might not be happening. At least not with the same game plan as it seemed back in 2018 during McGlinchey’s rookie year.

Do 49ers prefer keeping Mike McGlinchey at right tackle?

There are a few reasons to suggest this. For starters, head coach Kyle Shanahan has noted multiple times he doesn’t want to weaken multiple positions in the case of injury, which was the case last season when Staley missed all but seven regular-season games. Weakening two positions would have been the case if McGlinchey moved from right tackle to left, thereby seeing a downgrade at left tackle and right tackle at the same time.

Instead, at least when McGlinchey was in the lineup while Staley was out, Shanahan went with a combination of backup tackles Daniel Brunskill and Justin Skule at left tackle.

On top of Shanahan’s motives, McGlinchey still hasn’t entirely overcome the scouting reports that followed him from his college days. McGlinchey was a prolific run blocker, yes. But his pass protection wasn’t quite at the level one would hope from a top-end tackle prospect in the draft.

Last year, according to Pro Football Focus, McGlinchey was credited with having allowed five regular-season sacks, which was second only to Skule’s six on the team, and the former’s came over 12 games.

Blindside protection is understandably more critical for an offensive tackle, although defenses frequently now line up their best outside pass-rushers on the strong side of the formation.

So on that note, it’s possible McGlinchey’s pass protection could improve somewhat on the left side. But that’s only speculation.

Shanahan’s previous moves — not moving McGlinchey over to Staley’s spot when the veteran was out last year and McGlinchey was in — is the bigger of all the hints, though. And it points to what could be some dark-horse targets for the 49ers in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Perhaps the need to replace Staley sooner than later puts a player like Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, a bona fide top-15 talent, onto San Francisco’s draft radar.

Two of San Francisco’s other big needs, wide receiver and cornerback, could feasibly be addressed later in the draft, especially if the 49ers trade out of their second first-round pick, No. 31 overall.

As far as that 13th overall pick, don’t be shocked if Staley’s eventual heir winds up being the selection, while McGlinchey continues to lock down the right side.