5 players the 49ers were right to move on from in 2022
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: 49ers were right to move on from offensive lineman Tom Compton
No, we’re not going to dog on often-criticized veteran lineman Tom Compton much more. Despite his deficiencies in pass protection, he was admirable as a run blocker in 2021 after being tasked with replacing injured right tackle Mike McGlinchey for the second half of the season.
Still, the 49ers were wise to let him walk.
Entering 2021, the Niners’ offensive line depth was a clear-cut weakness, and it was apparent John Lynch needed to hit this positional group hard during the offseason.
OK, so rookies are unknown commodities, and San Francisco’s two NFL Draft picks for this spot on the roster, UTSA’s Spencer Burford and Fordham’s Nick Zakelj, may not come close to playing at even Compton’s level. And the 49ers can only hope one of their two high-profile undrafted free-agent pickups here, Arizona State’s Dohnovan West and Mercer’s Jason Poe, wind up being 53-man rostered players at some point.
Compton left for the Denver Broncos in free agency, which is fine. It was clear the Niners needed an upgrade over him, and they certainly didn’t hesitate to throw resources at the question this offseason.