As January winds down, mock draft season is in full swing. Many projections have the San Francisco 49ers using their No. 11 overall pick to shore up their offensive line. However, many also predict that general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan will prioritize bolstering the team's underperforming defensive front.
While drafting an offensive lineman may not be the most exciting move, many fans would welcome the 49ers addressing this often-overlooked unit. According to Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, that could happen—but only under specific circumstances. If a top-tier talent like LSU's Will Campbell unexpectedly falls, prompting the 49ers to trade up, or if the team views Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr. as an immediate-impact starter, Lynch and Shanahan might consider making a move.
However, if neither scenario plays out, Kawakami has bad news for those hoping the 49ers will take the best available offensive lineman at No. 11.
"But more likely, the 49ers will go with their basic plan: Take somebody who can rush the passer or score touchdowns," Kawakami wrote in a recent mailbag. "One or the other. And the likeliest position for No. 11 in this draft seems like it'll be DT."
Could the 49ers instead address the offensive line in free agency? While they struck gold with right guard Dominick Puni, who started all 17 games last season, they will likely lose his counterpart on the left side, Aaron Banks, to free agency. While Shanahan and company will never admit it, the play of center Jake Brendel must also be concerning. According to Pro Football Focus, he was one of the team's lowest-graded pass blockers.
History suggests that the 49ers are unlikely to spend big in free agency to bolster the offensive line. It just doesn't align with their roster-building philosophy.
"[T]he 49ers' leaders believe that it usually costs too much to upgrade at offensive line for potentially marginal gains when larger investments in the defensive line and receiver positions more often lead to giant results," Kawakami explained. "So the 49ers almost always put their chips into positions other than OL and believe they can turn lower-reviewed linemen into inexpensive but serviceable starters."
For better or worse, the 49ers seem committed to their approach—prioritizing impact positions over offensive line reinforcements. This strategy gave quarterback Brock Purdy a wealth of playmakers during his first two seasons, though injuries sidelined many of them in 2024.