SF 49ers: 4 players who have most to prove over final six games
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: SF 49ers Offensive Tackle Mike McGlinchey
Fair or not, right tackle Mike McGlinchey has drawn a lot of the blame for all the SF 49ers’ struggles along their offensive line this season.
That said, the Niners’ top pick from the 2018 NFL Draft hasn’t exactly proven to be the anchor point the team hoped for when they grabbed him at No. 9 overall that year. Each week, it appears as if some opposing pass-rusher is able to pancake McGlinchey in ugly fashion.
Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn compiled this video for your (lack of) enjoyment:
Interestingly enough, Pro Football Focus is awarding McGlinchey with a respectable 79.7 overall grade this season, although that number is largely skewed towards his run-blocking efforts. In pass protection, McGlinchey has allowed two sacks and seven quarterback hits, suggesting he hasn’t improved this facet of his game from 2019.
What’s key here is the SF 49ers will be in position to decide whether or not they want to pick up his fifth-year option for 2022, which will be fully guaranteed.
The 2021 draft is also exceptionally deep for offensive linemen, meaning the Niners could elect to keep McGlinchey around for only one more season while developing someone with much higher long-term potential.
Next. 4 reasons why 49ers won't move on from Jimmy Garoppolo. dark
That’s quite a lot of pressure for San Francisco’s top pick from just a few years ago.