The 49ers’ list of roster battles during the offseason program and training camp won’t be very long considering they’re returning close to all of their starters on both sides of the ball. One clear position battle is already taking shape along the offensive line.
When San Francisco released right guard Mike Person, it opened up a vacancy on the offensive line with no surefire contingency plan. There’ll be a bona fide battle among several players to win that job.
Perhaps the leading candidate for the starting right guard job, Daniel Brunskill, signed his exclusive rights free agent tender on Friday. The former offensive tackle for the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football found a home last year in Santa Clara when he filled in at tackle and guard during the regular season, and played some center during the preseason. Brunskill is an impressive athlete with good versatility that could wind up earning him his first NFL starting job.
It won’t be easy for Brunskill though. Ben Garland also re-signed in San Francisco on a one-year deal. He’s another versatile lineman who can play all three interior spots, and earned himself a look with his play at center down the stretch last season filling in for Weston Richburg. There’s a chance the team strictly wants Garland to play center, but if he’s their best option at right guard, they wouldn’t hesitate to start him there and figure out a contingency plan for a Richburg injury later.
The 49ers added another candidate for the right guard job shortly after it was reported Person was gone. Tom Compton, a journeyman offensive lineman who’s been with five teams in his career and spent the last four years with four different teams, will also get a shot at the starting right guard job.
It’s also not out of the question that San Francisco uses a relatively early pick on an interior lineman that pushes all the veterans out of the running. This would probably be the ideal scenario. They’d be snagging a young talent for the offensive line, while allowing players like Brunskill, Garland and Compton to serve as high quality depth pieces.
Either way, having so many capable player up front is part of why the 49ers were able to win 13 games despite four of their five offensive line spots missing multiple games last season. If they can improve that depth after losing a starter in the offseason, the 49ers’ offense will be in great shape to have another good year up front.
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