San Francisco 49ers: 3 discreet challenges team will face in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Offensive Line Continuity
The 49ers spent a lot of effort in 2018 revamping their offensive line, first by bringing aboard veteran center Weston Richburg on a lucrative free-agent deal, then selecting offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey with the No. 9 overall pick in that year’s draft.
Last year, however, the Niners experienced some gross attrition along the O-line, losing McGlinchey and left tackle Joe Staley to injuries for extended periods of time. Richburg was lost to a knee injury late, and even right guard Mike Person missed two games with a neck injury.
As a result, San Francisco’s O-line finished the year with the league’s eighth best run-blocking unit, while ranking 15th in pass protection, according to Football Outsiders.
This “OK” performance, combined with the real possibility Staley could retire this offseason, means the Niners could experience some massive changes up front. Those changes have already happened, to an extent, with the team parting ways with Person, signing former New York Jets guard Tom Compton and giving backup lineman Daniel Brunskill a chance to earn the starting job.
The 49ers could stand for an interior upgrade, and finding Staley’s replacement could be one of the top priorities in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Considering Kyle Shanahan’s complex blocking system, how well this revamped unit jells between now and Week 1 could be a hindrance to the team’s overall success.