Dominick Puni, OG - Kansas - 3rd Round 2024 NFL Draft

Originally posted by DRCHOWDER:
He is playing great right now, but its still early in the season. I'd like to see back to back high level play seasons before giving him a bigger contract(if we were to pay him).

The fact he has come back to a very high level this season after playing through injuries last year shows he is a guy worth keeping.

The longer the 49ers wait to extend him the higher the price will be. They should extend him this year.

Joe Tippman of the Jets is a good comp. Same age. Very close in overall play - Tippman is a slightly better run blocker but not as good in pass protection. Tippman just signed a 5-year deal worth $62,000,000 with $21.4 million guaranteed, an average of $15.5 million/yr. For Puni, such a deal would be right in line with market value for a guy of his age and level of play. (FWIW, I expect to see Puni improve his run blocking to a significantly higher level and move into the top10 Guards in the league.)

With Trent in the sunset years of his career, Puni is the best offensive lineman we have going forward. He gives us a chance to compete against quality DTs like Seattle's. I don't see how we could let him go. In order to make it to the NFCCG, you have to win your division and that means beating Seattle. I don't see that scenario changing anytime soon.

We finally have a guard that is good in pass pro & run blocking, that doesn't need help from Trent Williams or McKivitz. We have to extend him and I believe we will. If Colby stays at LG we are saving a ton of money as well as Brendel at C so we can invest in the OL.

Originally posted by elguapo:
We finally have a guard that is good in pass pro & run blocking, that doesn't need help from Trent Williams or McKivitz. We have to extend him and I believe we will. If Colby stays at LG we are saving a ton of money as well as Brendel at C so we can invest in the OL.

Between the two of them, we are only spending $5.1 Million.

Of course, Brendel is on a void year in 2027 so we will need to extend him...unless Kyle thinks one of the young guys is ready and able to take over. Right now, Jake is one of the lowest paid (and oldest) starting Centers in the league. I would expect the FO to offer him a 2-year deal with a team option for the second year.

Look at what Philadelphia has done with Jurgens. Was he worth a 2nd in '28? Add moving up 2 rounds in '27(a 7th for a 5th). Their offense is in trouble and they will need money to resign others in the next couple of years-Maybe even draft another QB. The defense is still good. That's where it starts. If the offense is in trouble might as well get rid of the big contracts.

The niners did the same with Buckner. It allowed them to keep Jimmy Ward even though Kinlaw didn't pan out.

I'm old enough to remember when the Dodgers let Steve Garvey go and went with Jim Marshall who was not that good and a head case. Garvey was an iron man for the longest time and had 3 good years left but not his best. Hindsight will always be 20-20 on those decisions. I think management will go with the cheaper potential in most cases.

Originally posted by jakedogg:
Look at what Philadelphia has done with Jurgens. Was he worth a 2nd in '28? Add moving up 2 rounds in '27(a 7th for a 5th). Their offense is in trouble and they will need money to resign others in the next couple of years-Maybe even draft another QB. The defense is still good. That's where it starts. If the offense is in trouble might as well get rid of the big contracts.

The niners did the same with Buckner. It allowed them to keep Jimmy Ward even though Kinlaw didn't pan out.

I'm old enough to remember when the Dodgers let Steve Garvey go and went with Jim Marshall who was not that good and a head case. Garvey was an iron man for the longest time and had 3 good years left but not his best. Hindsight will always be 20-20 on those decisions. I think management will go with the cheaper potential in most cases.

Dodgers?!?!?!