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Despite the 46-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers offensive line has continued to shine when it comes to pass protection. They gave QB Blaine Gabbert time in the pocket and protected him well. What he did with that time and protection is a difference story as the quarterback completed just five of his sixteen attempts beyond 10 yards, including two interceptions. But the offensive line did exactly what was asked of them in pass protection.
According to advanced statistics site Pro Football Focus, the 49ers offensive line allowed just six pressures throughout the entire game. For the second week in a row, they have performed admirably – a sharp contrast to the unit on display just one year ago.
The top five graded offensive players by
Pro Football Focus were all offensive lineman and the site calls the unit the strength of the 49ers' offense.
"A mauling run blocker with athleticism to match, LT Joe Staley is one of the NFL's best O-linemen," said John Breitenback of
Pro Football Focus. "He allowed just a solitary hurry in 42 dropbacks. Combined, the starting offensive line allowed just six pressures. In addition, four of the five up front earned run-blocking grades of at least 74.6. An offense severely lacking talent can at least be confident of its production in the trenches."
| Top Week 2 Offensive Performances for the 49ers |
| Player |
PFF Grade |
| LT Joe Staley |
84.1 |
| C Daniel Kilgore |
81.6 |
| RT Trenton Brown |
79.5 |
| LG Zane Beadles |
77.5 |
| RG Andrew Ziller |
77.4 |
Despite the strong play in the trenches to protect the quarterback, run blocking has been a different story. 49ers RB Carlos Hyde was able to manage just 34 yards on 14 carries. That's 2.4 yards per carry against the Panthers and 3.3 on the season. Compare that to the 5.4 he was averaging at this point in the season last year.
"What I saw was me not performing well," Hyde said following Sunday's loss. "I come off a good week and then I perform that way, just unacceptable. I have to get better. I have to do better. I have to not put the ball on the ground. I'll get better. I have to."
We reached out to
Pro Football Focus analyst and 49ers media correspondent Jeff Deeney, who feels that the 49ers offensive line has been inconsistent so far this season. "Aside from left tackle Joe Staley, who currently has our highest grade (86.3) among all NFL tackles, the offensive line has been inconsistent through two weeks," Deeney told us. "Although they have faced two of the better front sevens in football to start the year, the line has had a difficult time opening up holes in the running game. Running backs are averaging only 0.4 yards per carry before contact over the first two games."
Other than Staley (84.5) and Andrew Tiller (79.4), no 49ers offensive lineman has graded higher than 47.8 when it comes to run blocking. Backup tackle Anthony Davis has a grade of 60.4, but that is only though three total snaps, all of which were during run plays.
Following the loss in Charlotte, Staley said that the Panthers caught the 49ers offensive line off guard early with what they were doing. "They had a good plan for us," said Staley. "We'll be ready and we got to go back on Monday and fix everything."
| Stats through 2 Games |
| |
2015 |
2016 |
| Sacks allowed |
6 |
2 |
| Rushing yards |
211 |
122 |
| Passing yards |
500 |
413 |
The 49ers still have a lot to work on as the season progresses. For the team's quarterbacks, defensive pressure can no longer be used as an excuse for poor play.
The 49ers are preparing to face the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday, September 25.
The San Francisco 49ers hold the No. 31 overall pick, but speculation abounds that they may seek to move before or during the first round of next week's NFL Draft. With the offensive line as a prime target for improvement and the position going mostly ignored in free agency, a strategic trade-up to acquire an impact player could be in the cards.
Alyssa Barbieri proposes such a scenario in her latest mock draft for USA Today's Touchdown Wire. Barbieri envisions the 49ers trading with the Miami Dolphins to move up 10 spots, selecting former Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham.
Latham started 27 games
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
