49ers have a conundrum with free-agent center Jake Brendel

The 49ers maximized everything out of center Jake Brendel in 2022, but the soon-to-be free agent might not be someone the Niners wish to re-sign.

Veteran center Jake Brendel made a name for himself with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022.

Prior to his first year as a starter, the 30-year-old Brendel was effectively a nobody, one of those names buried deep on a roster who might be an eighth lineman at best, more likely a practice-squad body.

Prior to last season, Brendel had made only three regular-season starts since joining the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2016. Plus, he was almost entirely a journeyman camp body, too, who had bounced around from team to team before finding a home with the Niners in 2020.

Then, once San Francisco lost Pro Bowl center Alex Mack to retirement last offseason, it appeared as if there was no other choice but Brendel.

That decision to trust in Mack’s former backup paid off.

The 49ers gave Brendel a veteran’s minimum contract that paid up to $1.035 million, yet Over the Cap’s valuation of him was at a whopping $9-plus million. Based on that alone, the Niners maximized their investment to an extreme.

More importantly, Brendel made the most of his newfound starting opportunity, too.

Pro Football Focus gave Brendel a respectable 64.9 overall grade on the year, naming him the 15th-ranked center out of 32 qualifiers. Additionally, he allowed just one sack and two quarterback hits but was flagged for 12 penalties.

All in all, Brendel should no longer be considered a low-end backup who hangs out on the fringes between a practice squad and the 53rd player on a 53-man roster.

Should the 49ers re-sign Jake Brendel?

Brendel deserves a serious raise. There isn’t any question about that.

The only question, however, is whether or not San Francisco would be the team willing to grant him that raise.

It’s a problem because the 49ers currently have just over $8 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap, and they’ll be looking to re-sign other key players such as cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, safety Jimmie Ward and potentially right tackle Mike McGlinchey.

Read More: Jimmy Garoppolo, other 49ers players hitting NFL free agency in 2023

Dishing out up to $8 million for Brendel probably doesn’t seem in play, even though head coach Kyle Shanahan has long prioritized this position in years prior, which helped explain the original add of Mack back in 2021.

Regardless, the Niners are probably looking at a player to take over for Brendel in 2023, lineman Nick Zakelj, who was a perennial inactive over the course of his rookie season.

Not unlike how San Francisco handled now-starting left guard Aaron Banks behind Pro Bowl guard Laken Tomlinson in 2021, Zakelj could be the one who ultimately is tasked with taking over for a player who enjoyed a career-best season with the 49ers.

Unless the Niners feel comfortable paying Brendel that serious raise, which doesn’t seem likely.