No. 3: Can SF 49ers RT Mike McGlinchey block without Joe Staley on the team?
Ever since his college days at Norte Dame, 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey has always played second fiddle to a far-superior offensive lineman, from stud Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson to SF 49ers Pro Bowl tackle Joe Staley, who retired from the NFL after the 2019 season.
McGlinchey remains far from top-tier status, particularly with new tackle Trent Williams holding down the left side on the line, but the former first-rounder was expected to take a leadership role in 2020, not be the biggest liability on the SF 49ers’ offensive line.
McGlinchey has an NFL history of falling apart for short stretches, like during the recent NFC playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings, but his series of mishaps rarely last longer than a single drive:
On Sunday, the lineman was simply manhandled on passing downs and looked more like a college rookie than an NFL veteran than an elite former first-round draft pick.
Whatever his problem was on Sunday, he can’t play the role of human turnstile for the team going forward. Garoppolo is dealing with enough problems which are out of the quarterback’s control; He can’t be worried about a right tackle who suddenly forgot how to block opposing pass-rushers.
No more excuses — McGlinchey has to play to his ability, and stop being a stark liability in the passing game.
One would normally think this would be an issue for the coaching staff to address, but perhaps a call from his favorite former lineman Staley is what is needed to set his friend’s mind right. Whatever the solution, McGlinchy needs to bounce back to acceptable form in Week 2.