C Jake Brendel Thread

Originally posted by dj43:
After this past weekends ratings have been filed. here is a comparison of the two highest ranked FA Centers and Brendel, along with current/projected 2026 salary:

Tyler Linderbaum - #6 ranked (down from #4 in week 8) PP - 58, Run blocking - 82, Spotrac estimated 2026 market value - $17.2 million/yr
Cade Mays - #22 ranked (not playing, injured), PP - 68, Run blocking - 59, market value - $12.4,

Jake Brendel - #11 ranked, PP - 53 (up 2 points since week 8), Run blocking 78, under contract for 2026 at $5,2 million.

On balance, Mays is not worth the market estimate. He is not as good as Brendel.
Linderbaum is an elite run blocker but only 4 points better Brendel in the run game. Linderbaum is 5 points better than Brendel in pass protection but that is a weakness for both players.

Brendel will be 34 by the end of 2026. The team must be looking for his replacement though this has been Brendel's best year and he looks capable of playing at least one more year.

The obvious choice is the draft. The only FA improvement would be Linderbaum but consider: Linderbaum is rated only one spot above Brendel in run blocking but is 5 spots higher in pass protection. However, both are ranked in the bottom 1/3 in pass protection (TL #25, JB #30). Neither is an anchor in pass protection.

The question then is: based on current performance ratings, is Linderbaum worth 3x Brendel's salary? It isn't like we would be getting Creed Humphrey or Drew Dalman. Those guys are actually earning the kind of money Spotrac projects Linderbaum may get. At best, we can say Linderbaum is better but not at an increment that justifies his market value projection.

Originally posted by DRCHOWDER:

Originally posted by dj43:
After this past weekends ratings have been filed. here is a comparison of the two highest ranked FA Centers and Brendel, along with current/projected 2026 salary:

Tyler Linderbaum - #6 ranked (down from #4 in week 8) PP - 58, Run blocking - 82, Spotrac estimated 2026 market value - $17.2 million/yr
Cade Mays - #22 ranked (not playing, injured), PP - 68, Run blocking - 59, market value - $12.4,

Jake Brendel - #11 ranked, PP - 53 (up 2 points since week 8), Run blocking 78, under contract for 2026 at $5,2 million.

On balance, Mays is not worth the market estimate. He is not as good as Brendel.
Linderbaum is an elite run blocker but only 4 points better Brendel in the run game. Linderbaum is 5 points better than Brendel in pass protection but that is a weakness for both players.

Brendel will be 34 by the end of 2026. The team must be looking for his replacement though this has been Brendel's best year and he looks capable of playing at least one more year.

The obvious choice is the draft. The only FA improvement would be Linderbaum but consider: Linderbaum is rated only one spot above Brendel in run blocking but is 5 spots higher in pass protection. However, both are ranked in the bottom 1/3 in pass protection (TL #25, JB #30). Neither is an anchor in pass protection.

The question then is: based on current performance ratings, is Linderbaum worth 3x Brendel's salary? It isn't like we would be getting Creed Humphrey or Drew Dalman. Those guys are actually earning the kind of money Spotrac projects Linderbaum may get. At best, we can say Linderbaum is better but not at an increment that justifies his market value projection.

Dj, do you have stats on Drew Dalman? I want to see how hes doing since I was one that wanted the 49ers to go after in FA last offseason. I seen somewhere that PFF has him at 81 overall, 73.6 PP, and 82.6 RB. Not sure if thats accurate though.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
Getting thrown around like a rag doll again. PFF will say he was great and Lombardi will post it.

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
Getting thrown around like a rag doll again. PFF will say he was great and Lombardi will post it.

Get out of here with that. Go watch the game again. The one play that showed up was where he lost his balance and CMC had to jump over him. Though I haven't seen the first quarter yet, JB did a good job in PP and was awesome in run blocking. He was getting to the second level consistently.

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by DRCHOWDER:

Originally posted by dj43:
After this past weekends ratings have been filed. here is a comparison of the two highest ranked FA Centers and Brendel, along with current/projected 2026 salary:

Tyler Linderbaum - #6 ranked (down from #4 in week 8) PP - 58, Run blocking - 82, Spotrac estimated 2026 market value - $17.2 million/yr
Cade Mays - #22 ranked (not playing, injured), PP - 68, Run blocking - 59, market value - $12.4,

Jake Brendel - #11 ranked, PP - 53 (up 2 points since week 8), Run blocking 78, under contract for 2026 at $5,2 million.

On balance, Mays is not worth the market estimate. He is not as good as Brendel.
Linderbaum is an elite run blocker but only 4 points better Brendel in the run game. Linderbaum is 5 points better than Brendel in pass protection but that is a weakness for both players.

Brendel will be 34 by the end of 2026. The team must be looking for his replacement though this has been Brendel's best year and he looks capable of playing at least one more year.

The obvious choice is the draft. The only FA improvement would be Linderbaum but consider: Linderbaum is rated only one spot above Brendel in run blocking but is 5 spots higher in pass protection. However, both are ranked in the bottom 1/3 in pass protection (TL #25, JB #30). Neither is an anchor in pass protection.

The question then is: based on current performance ratings, is Linderbaum worth 3x Brendel's salary? It isn't like we would be getting Creed Humphrey or Drew Dalman. Those guys are actually earning the kind of money Spotrac projects Linderbaum may get. At best, we can say Linderbaum is better but not at an increment that justifies his market value projection.

Dj, do you have stats on Drew Dalman? I want to see how hes doing since I was one that wanted the 49ers to go after in FA last offseason. I seen somewhere that PFF has him at 81 overall, 73.6 PP, and 82.6 RB. Not sure if thats accurate though.

That's accurate. Excellent numbers. He has a contract to match - 3rd highest paid. $14 million yr, $28 million guaranteed. Only Humphrey and Jurgens get more, but Jurgens has been stealing money this year. 58 overall, 48 PP, and 64 run blocking. 503 snaps.

Originally posted by jcs:
"Shanahan shared that sentiment, as he spoke with the media on Thursday and shared his thoughts on how 49ers center Jake Brendel has played this year.

"I think Jake is one of the better centers in this league," Shanahan said. "I don't think Jake nearly gets enough credit for how good of a football player he is. Every year we study free agents and centers around the league, and I've always been very happy with the center that we have.""

This dude is going to be Our C as long as Kyle is here

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
Getting thrown around like a rag doll again. PFF will say he was great and Lombardi will post it.

Get out of here with that. Go watch the game again. The one play that showed up was where he lost his balance and CMC had to jump over him. Though I haven't seen the first quarter yet, JB did a good job in PP and was awesome in run blocking. He was getting to the second level consistently.