Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports


San Francisco 49ers: Joshua Garnett now under pressure following Laken Tomlinson extension

Jun 23, 2018 at 1:46 PM


The San Francisco 49ers inked offensive guard Laken Tomlinson to a three-year extension, which casts a major shadow on fellow guard Joshua Garnett's projected role with the team in 2018.


Offensive guard was a bit of a question mark for the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. After changing out the center and right tackle spots -- signing Weston Richburg and drafting Mike McGlinchey, respectively -- the Niners were going to employ something of a three-way competition for two guard spots. Those names, Laken Tomlinson, Jonathan Cooper and Joshua Garnett, were seen as the main candidates for starting jobs.

San Francisco's intentions were made a bit clearer last Friday, as the team inked Tomlinson to a three-year extension worth up to $18 million.

And with Cooper poised to earn up to $4.86 million this season, Garnett could easily be the odd man out for the starting lineup.

Garnett, a late first-round pick by the 49ers in the 2016 NFL Draft, came with plenty of questions about his scheme fit. Having operated primarily in a power-run scheme at Stanford, Garnett could easily be considered another one of those players selected by former general manager Trent Baalke who didn't fit the offense. During Garnett's rookie year, the Niners ran an inside-zone blocking scheme under then-head coach Chip Kelly. Head coach Kyle Shanahan operates an outside zone.

Zone-style blocking schemes require excellent mobility and the ability to hold down blocks in space. This is one of the reasons why Shanahan and Co. asked Garnett to slim down his body after missing all of last year with a knee injury. Garnett did accomplish this, but Tomlinson's extension creates more doubt.

Meanwhile, Tomlinson's 2017 play initially would have made his contract extension questionable. He started off the season on a rough note. But by year's end, he was one of the better guards in the NFL. Namely after San Francisco made the switch to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.


Back in 2016, Garnett's Pro Football Focus pass-blocking efficiency stood at 93.2 -- 61st and dead last out of all qualifying guards that year.

Missing 2017 surely hurt Garnett's development, and one can only guess where he'd be right now had his knee injury not been a factor. But the fact the Niners made the move to ink Tomlinson to an extension doesn't exactly indicate confidence in Garnett.

Meanwhile, Cooper hasn't been participating in offseason activities, as he recovers from MCL surgery. Any complications or setbacks there could bode well for Garnett, but that's not exactly the long-term prognosis.

At any rate, Garnett is now under the microscope heading into training camp. The competition should do him some good, but it's not hard to see him on the outside, looking in.
  • Written by:
    Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.


1 Comment

  • Sl
    He has a chance. Cooper has been hurt consistently every p,ace he has been. But garnett has to show something. So far he hasnr shown squat. Another baalke blunder until proven otherwise.
    Jun 27, 2018 at 10:23 PM
    0

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News



49ers GM John Lynch on Nick Bosa extension: "They don't come as quick as you'd like sometimes"

By Rohan Chakravarthi
Mar 27

The San Francisco 49ers have seen consistent success over the past four years, making the NFC Championship Game three times and the Super Bowl once, despite not having an elite solution at quarterback. Instead, they've maneuvered their way through the NFL Draft, acquiring stars such as Fred Warner, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Arik Armstead, Dre Greenlaw, and Jimmie Ward, all of whom earned a second contract extension with the team. Now, those extension talks didn't all go smoothly, as Samuel requested a trade last offseason, while the 49ers were at odds with Kittle during negotiations. However, the 49ers are soon to face their toughest task of them all: extending star edge rusher Nick Bosa, who could be in line to demand the biggest contract for a



Albert Breer: Win-now roster creates QB dilemma for 49ers

By David Bonilla
Mar 31

Once again, the San Francisco 49ers find themselves entrenched in offseason quarterback drama. Brock Purdy, the rookie signal-caller who took the NFL by storm this past season, is recovering from surgery on the torn ligament in his elbow. Unfortunately, that means likely missing time until September, putting his Week 1 availability into question. The 49ers' former No. 3 overall pick, Trey Lance, is returning from a season-ending ankle injury. He still has only four starts after two seasons under his belt, making it impossible to gauge his potential just yet. San Francisco signed Sam Darnold, who has started 55 career games but only won 38 percent of those matchups. Even after watching several players walk away in free agency, the 49ers remain one of



Podcast: 49ers with Grant Cohn: Are the 49ers the favorites in the NFC with Trey Lance?

By Rohan Chakravarthi
Mar 24

Rohan Chakravarthi and Grant Cohn discuss whether the 49ers are favorites in the NFC after free agency. The audio for the show is embedded above, while the video is available below. ?feature=share You can listen to "The Rohan Chakravarthi Show" from our



John Lynch comments on 49ers' free-agency haul

By David Bonilla
Mar 23

As usual, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch was on hand for Stanford's annual pro day, when the Bay Area school touted its latest crop of aspiring NFL players. Before heading off to San Jose State's pro day, Lynch spoke with the few 49ers reporters attending the event, discussing the team's free-agency moves thus far. Courting Hargrave The most significant free-agent addition was former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, bolstering the interior of new coordinator Steve Wilks' defensive front. Lynch and the 49ers set their sights on Hargrave, eventually signing him to a four-year, $84 million deal. Not only does the


Featured

More by Peter Panacy

More Articles

Share 49ersWebzone