49ers 2020 NFL Draft: 3 things we learned from Round 1

No. 3: 49ers expect OT Joe Staley to be back in 2020

There has been some speculation, even as late as minutes into the first-round, over whether stalwart offensive tackle Joe Staley would be returning for the 2020 season.

With Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs available to the 49ers prior to trading back with Tampa and the Niners opting not to take a player that could immediately step into the left tackle position, it became pretty clear that the 49ers do expect Staley back for at least one more season.

Of course, an alternative conclusion could be that the 49ers feel good about their Staley replacement options from players already on the roster, but given how long it’s been since the Niners needed to think about left tackle, it feels more likely that if they knew Staley was as good as retired, they might have drafted his replacement in the first round.

Instead, San Francisco took Kinlaw to step in for the slot vacated by DeForest Buckner, suggesting they know more about Staley’s future than they are letting on.

Long term, who’s to say what the right move might have been at No. 14 overall, but for a team looking for “foundational players” who can make an immediate impact towards another Super Bowl push in 2020, not worrying about Staley’s replacement just yet feels like a strong move that tells us a great deal about the team’s future.