Ask any fan of the San Francisco 49ers what the weakness of the team is, and if they don't mention injuries, they will likely say the offensive line. GM John Lynch and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan have taken an approach to building the offensive line that is different from many teams. And there are times in which the strategy has not paid off.
Since Lynch and Shanahan took over in 2017, they have used 10 draft picks on offensive linemen.- 2018: T Mike McGlinchey (1st round)
- 2019: T Justin Skule (6th round)
- 2020: T Colton McKivitz (5th round)
- 2021: G Aaron Banks (2nd round), T Jaylon Moore (5th round)
- 2022: OL Spencer Burford (4th round), OL Nick Zakelj (6th round)
- 2024: G Dominick Puni (3rd round), OL Jarrett Kingston (6th round)
- 2025: G Connor Colby (7th round)
In contrast, they have used 13 draft picks on the defensive line (10 defensive linemen and three outside linebackers who have been used along the defensive line as edge rushers). But it's not just the number; it's also about where they were drafted. The 49ers have drafted only three offensive linemen in the first three rounds. They have drafted five defensive linemen in the first three rounds.
Of the ten offensive linemen drafted, six were drafted in the bottom three rounds. And while you can find plenty of quality players in the lower rounds, it's harder to find starters along the offensive line that late in the draft. San Francisco has drafted two starters among those bottom three rounds, but Colby, who is starting because of injury, is likely not a long-term answer. The other, McKivitz, received a contract extension this year.
In 2020, the 49ers traded for future Hall of Fame LT Trent Williams to replace longtime LT Joe Staley. But the 49ers have made more trades and free agent moves along the defensive line. Fans argue that Lynch and Shanahan haven't placed as much emphasis on the offensive line as they should have.
This week, Matt Maiocco, of NBC Sports Bay Area, sat down with 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan to preview the upcoming game against the New York Giants. Maiocco asked Shanahan what he wants to see from his offensive line, especially coming off a bad game in Houston.
"I think the biggest thing with the line is just consistency," Shanahan said. "I would say that is with the whole offense, too. You can make any cut-up, any game, and show you 10 plays that makes it look like they're doing great, and I can show you 10 plays that makes it look like we're struggling."
While Shanahan is correct that you can make select plays on film tell the story you want to tell, it doesn't take away from the fact that the 49ers' run game, apart from the Sunday Night game against the Atlanta Falcons, has mostly struggled. And Shanahan's quarterbacks, Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, have taken a beating, while having little time to set up and throw.
"I always say when it comes to running the ball, it takes 11 guys, and you have one guy off, and sometimes it's hard to overcome," Shanahan added. "I think if we could be more consistent throughout the field, especially once we get down in the red zone, I think that could equate to some more points."
Consistency is key for an offensive line. But having the players who can do the job is also important. While Shanahan wants more consistency, many are calling for the 49ers to have better players along the offensive line. Both can be true. And the 49ers will need to figure out their offensive line this coming offseason.
For now, Shanahan's offensive line needs to be more consistent. The running game depends on it. And so do the quarterbacks.
You can watch the entire interview with Shanahan below.