Has Our O-Line Quetly Gone From Weak Link...to....Position of Strength??

I will openly admit I did not believe Anthony Davis would ever play for the 49ers again and when I saw video of him out there today looking fresh and the best shape of his life at 26 I realized that not only is he back, he could be better than ever. He is hitting his prime and while clearly disadvantaged by missing OTAs...I am thinking now he has had a playbook for quiet some time, and like Garnett who was not able to be there due to restrictions from graduating, I suspect AD was learning the plays and getting prepared privately. So if we assume he is back to at least his pre-retirement self, we now have two "potential" pro-bowlers back at both ends. It is fair to say Staley has played his best football already, but even in a decline as a 10 year veteran "when motivated" Staley can be a pro bowl left offensive tackle and is a perfect fit for Kelly's up tempo- zone blocking run scheme. But in my opinion the biggest upgrade to the line o-line happened in the middle.

I will admit, I have very little knowledge of Zane Beadles or which OG position he will play but I do have knowledge of who he is essentially replacing and that is Alex Boone. Boone was terrible last year, often missing assignments at the line that led to our QB being pressured and more importantly often whiffing in run blocking. He was not as heavily criticized as the right side (Pears, Tiller...) but in my opinion he was our worst o-lineman last year and some how that earned him a $30 mil contract from Minnesota. So, while I don't know Beadles, he has openly said he excels at a certain scheme and style of running which is what made him more valuable to the 49ers with Kelly's system than some other teams in need of an OG. I think if he can do a better job in pass protection than Boone, I believe he will be a better run blocker and so overall an upgrade. Kilgore missed so much time the last two years but when on the field he solidifies our line and shoed he can be an elite C in the NFL. At 28 I am certain we have seen the best football we will see out of Kilgore, but if he can manage 16 games in 2016 at the level he played in 2014, than we have three players so far with pro-bowl "potential".

Now the upgrade I am most excited about is the absolute beast in Joshua Garnett. This man is built like a OG should, thick legs and wide hips that stay low as he explodes. He is super quick for a man 312, and it is obvious he has the room to grow and add 15-20 pounds of muscle and girth up top. I firmly believe he will be competing for a pro bowl spot at OG within two years and will be a "massive upgrade" over the clowns the 49ers rolled out to RG last year week after week.

So in my opinion, Staley, Kilgore, Davis and Garnett all have the potential to play at pro-bowl level this year. I am predicting at least two of them win the honor. In regards to depth, the 49ers have a number of talented young unproven players in (Brown OT, Thomas OG, Martin C and Theus OT and Fahn OT) which should allow us to be free of Eric Pears and off the street scrubs. When I look at all this, assuming everyone can stay healthy...this line is definitely no longer a weak link. in fact, if the come together and start to build confidence in Kelly's system, this line could be better than anyone expected and better than any 49ers line we seen in years.

to early to tell but the quality and quantity of the players and the coach we have there is superior to last year in my opinion. just gotta find the right combo and then hope they stay somewhat healthy. but it would appear our depth will be younger and better than last year as well

Have the potential to be top 10 again

i don't want to dare to hope

Middle of the pack maybe

If it's not a position of strength in 2016, I am sure they will continue to build it up so that it becomes a position of strength. There could be 3 new starters, 4 if we count Kilgore, and OL is a position group where cohesiveness helps. Even more so for a zone blocking OL. Going into 2015 with a castoff (Devey), and a fringe player (Pears) on the right side was a disaster from the start. At the least, the individual talent along the OL is improved (Kilgore, Garnett, AD).

Could potentially have 3 first rounders on the line

IB4 Heston

As long as devey and pears are off the team, then maybe

Staley good but is aging and old players fall off fast, so you just don't know.

Beadles was a bust in Jacksonville

Kilgore average stater should be better than Martin

Garnett good college player but it might take time to get up to nfl power and speed.


AD just don't know his commitment level


Conclusion. It sounds better but we just don't know yet.

I think they can easily be top-15

Might take a season to gel, but it looks very promising

Originally posted by susweel:
Staley good but is aging and old players fall off fast, so you just don't know.

Beadles was a bust in Jacksonville

Kilgore average stater should be better than Martin

Garnett good college player but it might take time to get up to nfl power and speed.


AD just don't know his commitment level


Conclusion. It sounds better but we just don't know yet.

STALEY - the guy been suckin the last 2 years, I have no idea why fans are playing blind w/his plays or following that PFF (BS) stats..

GARNETT - lets hope that his hold out had a purpose, because the last OG we drafted hight (if not mistaken) was All WORLD JEFF BREGEL (USC) and he sucked

KILGORE - yeap yeah, u are reading it right.. our center got GORE-KILLED... he just isn't a starter.. Martin must improve in a hurry..

BEADLES - i consider myself a fair person when it comes to judgment and I will give PRETTY BOY his chances ..

AD/BROWN - just like Beadles, lets all watch and learn if both are LEGIT..

They can't be nowhere near as bad as last year

Originally posted by 9moon:

Originally posted by susweel:

Staley good but is aging and old players fall off fast, so you just don't know.

Beadles was a bust in Jacksonville

Kilgore average stater should be better than Martin

Garnett good college player but it might take time to get up to nfl power and speed.


AD just don't know his commitment level


Conclusion. It sounds better but we just don't know yet.

STALEY - the guy been suckin the last 2 years, I have no idea why fans are playing blind w/his plays or following that PFF (BS) stats..

GARNETT - lets hope that his hold out had a purpose, because the last OG we drafted hight (if not mistaken) was All WORLD JEFF BREGEL (USC) and he sucked

KILGORE - yeap yeah, u are reading it right.. our center got GORE-KILLED... he just isn't a starter.. Martin must improve in a hurry..

BEADLES - i consider myself a fair person when it comes to judgment and I will give PRETTY BOY his chances ..

AD/BROWN - just like Beadles, lets all watch and learn if both are LEGIT..

High OG, You forgot iupati