Armed with an abundance of money under the salary cap, the 49ers targeted the middle of the offensive line for their biggest free-agent contract.
The 49ers surprised some folks with a deal for former New York Giants center Weston Richburg, who signed a five-year, $47.5 million deal on the opening day of free agency.
The 49ers consider Richburg's movement skills as a good fit for coach Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme. The club also believes Richburg’s play in the middle of the line will aid both guard positions and help coalesce the line into a much-improved unit.
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Tackles – Joe Staley, Mike McGlinchey, Garry Gilliam, Darrell Williams, Andrew Lauderdale, Pace Murphy, Coleman Shelton, Jamar McGloster
Guard/centers – Weston Richburg, Laken Tomlinson, Jonathan Cooper, Joshua Garnett, Mike Person, Erik Magnuson, Najee Toran, Alan Knott
Best Of The Bunch
Umm, let’s see. . . OK, got it. Staley. Sure, he has played 11 NFL seasons. Sure, there was a point last season at which he contemplated retirement. And, sure, he might not be the same athlete he was a couple years ago. But even with Staley's 34th birthday set to arrive on Aug. 30, the 49ers have no offensive lineman who is more dependable. The six-time Pro Bowl performer is a good fit for this system, and he remains a player about whom the coaching staff does not have to worry. And Staley can continue to have a positive influence on the 49ers long after he’s gone by mentoring McGlinchey for as long as they are teammates.
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Top Camp Battle
Cooper vs. Garnett. The right guard position is the only spot on the team where there is not a clear-cut starter. Cooper impressed the 49ers with his play while starting 13 games last season with the Dallas Cowboys. They went out and guaranteed him $4 million on a one-year contract. Garnett, a first-round draft pick in 2016, was a holdover from the previous regime. The club placed him on injured reserve last season with a minor knee injury and gave him the directive to reshape his body and work on his agility in order to put himself in position to compete for a starting job.
Long Shot
Magnuson is not necessarily a “long shot,” but he is an under-the-radar player who satisfies a lot of often-overlooked needs. He made the team last season as an undrafted rookie from Michigan. Magnuson does not appear to be in contention for a starting job, but his versatility is an attribute few players on the team possesses. Last season, he filled in at right tackle. But he could be a valuable component of the team’s 46-man game-day roster due to his ability to play either guard position or center. Person, a seven-year veteran, is the only other player who can play as many different spots on the offensive line.
Overview
It is probably asking too much for McGlinchey to be as good as Brown in his first NFL season. McGlinchey is certain to experience some rookie difficulties. But the 49ers feel much better about what McGlinchey brings to the team for the long term. Brown, who started 10 games last season, did not win over the coaching staff last season with his commitment and study habits. The club traded him to New England shortly after selecting McGlinchey with the No. 9 overall pick. The 49ers made an offseason commitment to Tomlinson at left guard, signing him to an extension through the 2021 season. Add Staley, Richburg and the competition at right guard, and the 49ers believe the offensive line should be significantly improved from a year ago.
