49ers roster: 3 positions Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch wish they addressed better
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers tried with right side of O-line but failed
In fairness, San Francisco spent a lot of resources trying to maintain and reinforce its offensive line entering 2021, highlighted by signing Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams to the biggest contract for a lineman in NFL history, then grabbing veteran center Alex Mack to help solve issues there.
Additionally, the 49ers used a second-round pick on former Notre Dame guard Aaron Banks to find some sort of upgrade, too, thereby pushing the versatile Daniel Brunskill back into a more valuable reserve role this season.
Except for Banks, who has yet to start an NFL game and has been inactive for all but seven games this season, has been a notable flop to date.
While Brunskill has valiantly tried to be a quality member of the O-line this season, he’s been the team’s biggest yearlong weakness at this spot, and the entire right side of the line wasn’t aided by veteran right tackle Mike McGlinchey’s season-ending quad injury suffered back in Week 9.
As a result, the Niners have been forced to field the underwhelming veteran, Tom Compton, at right tackle ever since despite hoping rookie fifth-round pick Jaylon Moore could step into that void, which hasn’t taken place. Instead of a unit of total strength, San Francisco’s O-line progressively devolves as one moves from Williams on the left all the way to Compton on the right.
The Banks selection highlights the main mistake here, and the lack of starting-caliber depth was only magnified when McGlinchey was lost to injury.