49ers Offensive Line

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
I was hoping beyond hope that there was some kind of transition plan. It's not evident, but with Brendel's contract expiring I figured they had an idea of who they wanted as their center in 2027 and beyond. I've been advocating for Dominick Puni as the COTF in his thread or for real draft capital invested in the position. Seeing Logan Jones go in the 2nd round was a rude awakening. I know he is starting this year. Hoping (theres that word again) they just let the contract expire.

I think Carver has potential as a center. We will see soon. Now I do think Carver is penciled in to compete for the left guard spot, but whoever loses the left guard spot can also challenge the center position.

As for Hall of Fame Trent Williams - if Enrique pans out, thats a possible future left tackle right there. So I think thats the plan. Or the gist of it. The future of the offensive line will depend on what happens this season, as it should be.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
I was glad they passed on Dalman. We've been burned twice (no fault of our own) by the big free agent center. I'd rather they draft and develop one- something talented enough to start in year 1 or 2 as a guard, not these long term projects that become bottom of the roster guys like Nick Zakelj.

Agree. I think it's cheaper to develop their own rookie guards, but you take the good with the bad. For every hit like Puni and Mckivitz, you got a Nick Zakelj. They let Jalon Moore go simply because they couldn't afford him. So on top of the misses, you got the Cap eroding our hard earned depth. The NFL really does a good job of making teams pay the price for success.

Originally posted by Typecast:

Originally posted by DRCHOWDER:
Foerster definitely has something on Kyle....

Foerster is a convert to the Shanahan system from his time working for the Commies and Mike Shanahan. He's bought into the draft philosophy that you only invest in OL in the 1st when it's a generational talent. That the difference in talent between a late-1 OL and a mid-round OL is much smaller than other key positions. The team should focus on those other positions early and get specialized players that fit the OL scheme later.

Most of the fanbase refuse to accept it, but they actually like McKivitz and Brendel. They haven't completely quit on Puni yet like some fans have. They brought in Robert Jones and drafted Carver just in case Zakelj and Colby aren't ready to step up at LG. They are still searching for that dependable swing tackle depth where Cruz will get a shot.

I was going to pile on my draft criticisms that we passed on a whole bunch of center talent. But then I looked up Brendels numbers and he scored 74 something PFF was ranked a top ten center and gave up zero sacks. So I couldn't say anything. He's not THAT good but numbers are numbers.

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

Originally posted by Typecast:

Originally posted by DRCHOWDER:
Foerster definitely has something on Kyle....

Foerster is a convert to the Shanahan system from his time working for the Commies and Mike Shanahan. He's bought into the draft philosophy that you only invest in OL in the 1st when it's a generational talent. That the difference in talent between a late-1 OL and a mid-round OL is much smaller than other key positions. The team should focus on those other positions early and get specialized players that fit the OL scheme later.

Most of the fanbase refuse to accept it, but they actually like McKivitz and Brendel. They haven't completely quit on Puni yet like some fans have. They brought in Robert Jones and drafted Carver just in case Zakelj and Colby aren't ready to step up at LG. They are still searching for that dependable swing tackle depth where Cruz will get a shot.

I was going to pile on my draft criticisms that we passed on a whole bunch of center talent. But then I looked up Brendels numbers and he scored 74 something PFF was ranked a top ten center and gave up zero sacks. So I couldn't say anything. He's not THAT good but numbers are numbers.

That PFF score is heavily weighted by his run blocking. His pass blocking score is in the bottom 25% of the league and at one point last year or the year before he was dead last.

Almost every team has some weak spots in their O line. There just isn't enough good talent for every team to be solid across the entire front. Most are better at run blocking. Pass blocking in the NFL is much tougher than in college. As Geidi pointed out it's hard to build depth when you have backups leaving via free agency every year.

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
Almost every team has some weak spots in their O line. There just isn't enough good talent for every team to be solid across the entire front. Most are better at run blocking. Pass blocking in the NFL is much tougher than in college. As Geidi pointed out it's hard to build depth when you have backups leaving via free agency every year.

Especially when you don't try

Originally posted by mcwoot:

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

Originally posted by Typecast:

Originally posted by DRCHOWDER:
Foerster definitely has something on Kyle....

Foerster is a convert to the Shanahan system from his time working for the Commies and Mike Shanahan. He's bought into the draft philosophy that you only invest in OL in the 1st when it's a generational talent. That the difference in talent between a late-1 OL and a mid-round OL is much smaller than other key positions. The team should focus on those other positions early and get specialized players that fit the OL scheme later.

Most of the fanbase refuse to accept it, but they actually like McKivitz and Brendel. They haven't completely quit on Puni yet like some fans have. They brought in Robert Jones and drafted Carver just in case Zakelj and Colby aren't ready to step up at LG. They are still searching for that dependable swing tackle depth where Cruz will get a shot.

I was going to pile on my draft criticisms that we passed on a whole bunch of center talent. But then I looked up Brendels numbers and he scored 74 something PFF was ranked a top ten center and gave up zero sacks. So I couldn't say anything. He's not THAT good but numbers are numbers.

That PFF score is heavily weighted by his run blocking. His pass blocking score is in the bottom 25% of the league and at one point last year or the year before he was dead last.

Yup,
Year = overall grade = run block grade = pass block grade
2025 = 70.4 = 74.1 = 59.0 = 12th of 40 qualified centers
2024 = 65.0 = 71.6 = 55.1 = Ranked 12th in overall blocking (minimum 800 snaps)
2023 = 66.0 = 70.5 = 45.3 = Strong run blocking continued from '22

A good sign is that Brendel is improving (according to PFF) overall. Specially his run blocking. But I'm with the folks who think we can upgrade that center spot with the players on the current squad - if given the chance.

Originally posted by mcwoot:

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
Almost every team has some weak spots in their O line. There just isn't enough good talent for every team to be solid across the entire front. Most are better at run blocking. Pass blocking in the NFL is much tougher than in college. As Geidi pointed out it's hard to build depth when you have backups leaving via free agency every year.

Especially when you don't try

They've drafted OLinemen in the draft for the last three straight years. The only time they didn't draft OLinemen was 2023, and 2017.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by mcwoot:

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
Almost every team has some weak spots in their O line. There just isn't enough good talent for every team to be solid across the entire front. Most are better at run blocking. Pass blocking in the NFL is much tougher than in college. As Geidi pointed out it's hard to build depth when you have backups leaving via free agency every year.

Especially when you don't try

They've drafted OLinemen in the draft for the last three straight years. The only time they didn't draft OLinemen was 2023, and 2017.

If you go back and look at the entire NFL draft for the last several years you'll see that most teams don't draft many O linemen in the first 2 rounds. Yes there are some every year but it's mostly tackles taken in the first round. Guards and centers usually go in later rounds unless you have a really exceptional one which is rare. When I compared Kyle's drafting of O linemen it was nearly identical to Walsh's. Walsh just had better talent and line coaching so he was more successful.

Teams will always go after QBs, edge rushers nd WRs early on. Those are the big money guys. The playmakers. Interior linemen are the lunchpail guys. Imortant but often overlooked. When you watch games the camera is on the QB, WR or RB. They follow the ball. Replays are needed to see who is and isn't blocking well.

Originally posted by Giedi:
Yup,
Year = overall grade = run block grade = pass block grade
2025 = 70.4 = 74.1 = 59.0 = 12th of 40 qualified centers
2024 = 65.0 = 71.6 = 55.1 = Ranked 12th in overall blocking (minimum 800 snaps)
2023 = 66.0 = 70.5 = 45.3 = Strong run blocking continued from '22

A good sign is that Brendel is improving (according to PFF) overall. Specially his run blocking. But I'm with the folks who think we can upgrade that center spot with the players on the current squad - if given the chance.

and that 59.0 pass block grade ranked 31st btwin the centers last season,... so he's one of the worsts pass blocking centers in the league,... the 55,1 and 45,3 that he graded the years before were also btwin the worsts,... and that's something that always comes to hurt the team in the most importants moments,... he's always very badly beaten in the important games

time to plan for his replacement,.... not for his extension at 34 yo

Originally posted by Giedi:
They've drafted OLinemen in the draft for the last three straight years. The only time they didn't draft OLinemen was 2023, and 2017.

That is true but misleading. They draft OL with later draft pick. Dominick Puni was a third round pick. He was put in the starting line up because of an injury and he has never been taken back out. He is a nice player and good for him. Connor Colby was a 7th round pick. He was put in the starting line up because of an injury and they pulled him back out because he was not good enough. The talent leave is different between the third round and the 5th, 6th , and 7th rounds. How many second and third round pick have they used on WR and RB. How many have they traded for WR and RB. (Emmanuel Sanders and CMC). If they used 3 or 4 of those second and third round pick on the OL they would probably be much better shape on the OL. I'm not talking about last draft I'm talking about over all 10 draft they have made. 3 or 4 pick is all it would take. Dominick Puni and 2 other guys. Yes I know they draft Banks and McGlinchey with second and first round pick. I don't know if those where the correct player to draft. If they where the correct pick I think they would still be on the team.
This is just me but I feel like they go into the draft with we need a WR with our first pick or we need a DL with our first pick and they pass on some good player for a player at a position they feel they have a need at. Like Jake Moody third round pick.

Originally posted by dlance:

Originally posted by Giedi:
They've drafted OLinemen in the draft for the last three straight years. The only time they didn't draft OLinemen was 2023, and 2017.

That is true but misleading. They draft OL with later draft pick. Dominick Puni was a third round pick. He was put in the starting line up because of an injury and he has never been taken back out. He is a nice player and good for him. Connor Colby was a 7th round pick. He was put in the starting line up because of an injury and they pulled him back out because he was not good enough. The talent leave is different between the third round and the 5th, 6th , and 7th rounds. How many second and third round pick have they used on WR and RB. How many have they traded for WR and RB. (Emmanuel Sanders and CMC). If they used 3 or 4 of those second and third round pick on the OL they would probably be much better shape on the OL. I'm not talking about last draft I'm talking about over all 10 draft they have made. 3 or 4 pick is all it would take. Dominick Puni and 2 other guys. Yes I know they draft Banks and McGlinchey with second and first round pick. I don't know if those where the correct player to draft. If they where the correct pick I think they would still be on the team.
This is just me but I feel like they go into the draft with we need a WR with our first pick or we need a DL with our first pick and they pass on some good player for a player at a position they feel they have a need at. Like Jake Moody third round pick.

Again, look at the big picture. 2016 under Chip Kelly, they were 4-12, without any kind of talent whatsoever on the team. Kyle had - in a sense - ZERO talent on the team when he came in on 2017. Blame that on the two years (Tomsula and Chip Kelly reigns). Under Harbaugh, they at least went 8-8, but after Harbaugh left, all the talented veterans pretty much retired in 2014.

In two short years after Kyle came on board, they were in the Superbowl. Three years after that, they were in the Superbowl again. Draft is just one aspect of building a winning roster. ShanaLynch has done that twice in the last seven years. Not bad in my book. They now look poised to go deep in the playoff *this* year.

As for the OLine draft picks, pretty much all of the 49er OLine Picks (since 2017) are still currently playing in the NFL. Jalon Moore, Mike McGlinchy, Jarret Kingston, Justin Skule, Nick Zakelj, etc...