There’s a budding concern the San Francisco 49ers could lose veteran tackle Joe Staley to retirement in 2020, meaning some replacement options have to be discussed.
Imagining a San Francisco 49ers team without veteran left tackle Joe Staley is probably just as painful as imagining the team without running back Frank Gore or linebacker Patrick Willis.
And yet Niners fans everywhere must understand that realization is going to happen sooner than later.
A report from NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco suggested there was a 50-50 chance Staley decides to retire between now and the start of the 2020 season. Either way, Maiocco pushed the idea San Francisco should prepare for the inevitable reality Staley will be gone, perhaps as soon as this summer.
For the hopeful crowd, Staley hasn’t officially announced any plans to retire despite undergoing yet another crushing Super Bowl loss paired with an injury-plagued 2019 campaign. The soon-to-be 36 year old was still rehabilitating at team facilities outside Levi’s Stadium, per Maiocco, before COVID-19 shut that down.
Third-year right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who has become Staley’s close friend, said he feels as if the veteran can still play at a high level.
Perhaps. Yet McGlinchey also noted it’s ultimately Staley’s decision to call it a career whenever he feels it’s the right time.
Should Staley retire, some think the natural move would be to bump McGlinchey from the right side over into Staley’s void. But Niner Noise pointed out why that isn’t necessarily going to be the case automatically.
Instead, there are likely to be other routes taken by head coach Kyle Shanahan and the front office to ultimately replace the 49ers’ longest-tenured player if it ultimately comes to that.
No. 3: 49ers Insert Daniel Brunskill into Starting Lineup
The first option on this list for San Francisco already happened last year, so we know it’s something Kyle Shanahan would consider.
Staley missed all but seven regular-season games last season, which prompted Shanahan to insert two backup tackles, Justin Skule and Daniel Brunskill. Brunskill performed better of the two, eventually seeing time at both tackle spots, as well as serving as a reserve guard for Mike Person during two games.
Brunskill held his own in this role, too, earning a solid 73.0 overall Pro Football Focus grade on the year for his efforts.
Yet going this route does have some drawbacks. For starters, Person is no longer with the 49ers, and one could make the assumption Brunskill is the favorite to land the starting right guard job anyway this season, essentially pushed only by the recent free-agent acquisition, Tom Compton.
If Compton winds up being a quality starter, fine. But there’s still the chance this weakens two positions along the Niners offensive line, not just one.
True, San Francisco could also consider starting Skule or swing tackle Shon Coleman, who missed all of 2019 with a serious ankle injury. But one would likely assume Brunskill the best option out of the three for full-time duties if no other transactions are made.
No. 2: A Bargain Option on the Free-Agent Market
Offensive lines typically take time to jell, and this is especially the case within Kyle Shanahan’s complex blocking system.
So it might be somewhat counterintuitive for the 49ers to comb the now-limited array of options on the dwindling free-agent market for a replacement, yet it might be the safest option to ensure a relatively high-quality level of play without endangering the current depth chart too much.
With just under $13.5 million in available salary cap space, and a little over $8 million of that required to sign San Francisco’s 2020 rookie NFL Draft class, there’s not a lot of money the team can throw at a new tackle. A would-be Joe Staley retirement frees up over $11 million, though, so there’s that to consider.
In all likelihood, a free-agent target would probably be an older veteran who can fill a stopgap void, nothing more. And here are some potential options who’d likely be had on the cheap:
- Greg Robinson, 27 years old
- Jason Peters, 38 years old
- Kelvin Beachum, 31 years old
- Donald Penn, 37 years old
- Cordy Glenn, 30 years old
Fits would have to be considered, yes. But if San Francisco wants to simply grab Staley’s long-term replacement sooner than later, the No. 1 option likely winds up coming into play.
No. 1: 49ers Use One of Two First-Round Picks on a Tackle
The Niners own two Round 1 selections in the upcoming NFL Draft, bringing their own (No. 31 overall) into the fray and boasting the No. 13 overall pick after trading away defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts.
It’s widely suspected San Francisco will use one of those two picks on a much-needed wide receiver, while cornerback is also a pressing need. Replacing Buckner could be in the mix, too, depending on how the first round pans out.
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This year’s draft is awfully topheavy with offensive line talent, particularly on the outside, which includes likely first- or early second-round options below:
- Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
- Mekhi Becton, Louisville
- Andrew Thomas, Georgia
- Jedrick Wills, Alabama
- Josh Jones, Houston
- Austin Jackson, USC
Wirfs, Becton and perhaps Wills could be in play for the 49ers’ first pick at No. 13 overall, which shouldn’t be a shocker if things pan out that way.
After all, the Niners made something of a shocking pick back in 2018 when they selected Mike McGlinchey at No. 9 overall.
Going this route, however, would endanger the team’s abilities to address other positions. But good teams build in the trenches, and better teams ensure long-term continuity up front before worrying about some of the other spots on the roster.
Because of this, don’t overlook the idea San Francisco kicks off its 2020 draft class with an offensive lineman to replace Joe Staley, be it immediately or in a season or two.