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The 49ers traded for veteran Dee Ford and drafted Nick Bosa to help improve the pass rush along the edges of the defensive front. Buckner, after all, can't be depended on each season to do everything by himself.
Those three players have something in common — they were all first-round picks. So were Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas, who each have their sights on having a breakout season.
General manager John Lynch hopes his improved defensive line will "wreak havoc on the league." Second-year tackle, Mike McGlinchey, knows the unit will make the 49ers offensive line better.
"You've seen how they've built the roster up in that position from top to bottom," McGlinchey told Matt Barrows of The Athletic. "We have a couple of rush ends nowadays with Dee, Nick, Ronnie (Blair), Arik when he's out there, Solomon when he's out there, all those guys that are pushing me, and Joe (Staley), and Shon (Coleman) to be our best every time you go up against them.
McGlinchey can't treat each defensive lineman he faces in practice the same. He noted that each presents a unique challenge. Ford has elite speed. Bosa is great with his hands and his hips. Armstead and Thomas are strong off the ball.
"It's cool that you get a little bit of a different balance of all those guys," McGlinchey added before saying it's a "gauntlet out there."
Ford believes in the iron-sharpens-iron philosophy, as well. He discussed going against McGlinchey in practices.
"When I first got here, I didn't know [McGlinchey] was that young," Ford told reporters on Saturday. "He's going to be really good. I thought he was a vet. He has a lot of potential, very athletic, great with his hands. Us going against each other is going to make us better. It's going to be fun, and he'll see on Sundays, it's going to be a lot easier."
McGlinchey's closest friend on the team and the man who anchors the opposite side of the offensive line, veteran Joe Staley, signed a two-year extension with the 49ers in June. That keeps him with the team through the 2021 season.
That is great news to McGlinchey, who discussed what it means to know Staley isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
"It's huge just not for myself, but the entire organization," McGlinchey said. "He's the heart and soul of our football team, and he has been since I was probably in sixth grade."
That was pretty good.
McGlinchey continued, "It's awesome for us. It's awesome for me, personally. One, he's a great mentor and a guy to learn from. He's been around the block a lot in this game. But he's one of my closest friends, as well.
Ford also discussed Staley, who he ranked as the best tackle he's faced.
"He's hard to get around," Ford said. "He's strong. He's physical. He's great with his feet. He's consistent. And the biggest thing is he's available. What year is this (for Staley)?"
It's his 13th.
"Come on, man. He's great, and he's consistent," Ford continued. "You're not going to beat this man unless you're bringing your hands consistently."
