49ers roster moves: OL Daniel Brunskill returning, DE Ronald Blair released

The San Francisco 49ers made a couple roster moves a few days before free agency begins.

The San Francisco 49ers on Friday announced a pair of roster moves that saw one player return and another get an early head start on free agency.

Exclusive rights free agent OL Daniel Brunskill was tendered a one-year contract, while unrestricted-free-agent-to-be DE Ronald Blair was released.

Brunskill will get a chance to compete for the starting right guard spot again, but he may find himself in the mix at center depending on how the team’s offseason shakes out. The former tackle saw action in 14 games with seven starts as a rookie, filling in at right tackle for Mike McGlinchey, left tackle for Joe Staley and at right guard for Mike Person. He played well in both roles, but ultimately earned the starting right guard job for the 2020 season.

Injuries on the offensive line eventually forced Brunskill to slide to center where he had less success than he had as a guard. Still, he started all 16 games and forced his way into the conversation as a long-term option in San Francisco’s offensive front. If he contributes again this year he could see a longer-term contract next offseason.

Blair didn’t play at all in 2020 after suffering a torn ACL in Week 10 of the 2019 campaign. It looked like he might return last season, but a setback and a problem with his surgically repaired knee wound up sidelining him for the entire year.

He was due to hit unrestricted free agency when the new league year opens March 17, but now he gets a head start on choosing his next team by getting released before free agency begins. Blair would not have been allowed to negotiate with other clubs until March 15 at 1:00pm Pacific Time had San Francisco not released him.

Blair, a fifth-round pick in the 2016 draft, racked up 13.5 sacks in 47 games for the 49ers. He also posted 88 tackles, including 22 for a loss.

5 49ers who could take on larger roles in 2020

Dante Pettis headlines a group of players that may have a bigger impact on the 49ers roster next season.

The 49ers in 2020 will return largely the same group of players they took to the Super Bowl last season. It stands to reason that most of last year’s key players will again emerge as essential pieces for San Francisco on both sides of the ball.

There are a handful of players from last year’s roster though that could wind up making a bigger impact in 2020 than they did in 2019. Despite the fact they’ll return most of their stars, the 49ers will need some additional players to step into larger roles next season to repeat a deep playoff run. Here are five players that could wind up securing bigger roles:

WR Dante Pettis

This seems inconceivable given how Pettis’ second NFL season went. He caught just 11 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns in a year where he was supposed to emerge as a No. 1 receiver. In fact, he fell so far out of the rotation that he wasn’t even active for the Super Bowl.

It’s easy to just give up on the former second-round pick, but he flashed enough toward the end of his rookie year to provide some optimism that he can be a contributor in a good receiving corps. It’s a make-or-break third season for Pettis, who’ll go into the year battling for a roster spot. If he responds well to that challenge, he could emerge as a reliable target in a receiving corps that desperately needs a playmaker or two to step up.

Pages: 12345

49ers OL roster battle already developing

The 49ers have a fun roster battle on their hands already.

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.

[lawrence-related id=654349]

These 6 49ers can help lead offensive turnaround vs. Rams

The 49ers need a big showing from these 6 players if they’re going to bounce back on offense vs. the Rams.

The 49ers in Week 15 sputtered badly on offense in a 29-22 loss to the Falcons. Now they’re looking to bounce back in a tough divisional game that’ll play a huge role in San Francisco’s bid for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Chances are they won’t win Saturday, or any game, if they don’t play better when they have the football. Here are six 49ers who’ll have to shine if they’re going to get back in the win column:

RB Tevin Coleman

The 49ers are going to need Coleman playing at a high level if they’re going to get their rushing attack rolling again. Coleman’s inability to get anything going on the ground the last half of the season dramatically impacts San Francisco’s offense. He’s a good dual-threat back who becomes much less effective when he’s not a threat to run. He had 45 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown against the Rams the last time they played, and while he won’t get 18 carries again, getting some consistently positive runs would be a good sign from the veteran RB.

Pages: 123456

Studs and duds from 49ers’ 37-8 thumping of Packers

We’re running out of superlatives to describe how dominating the 49ers can be.

We’re running out of superlatives to describe how dominant the 49ers can be. Green Bay never really stood a chance after fumbling on the third play of the game, and never really threatened the 49ers after 57 seconds of game time. The 49ers took their first lead 1:58 into the game and never once looked back on their way to a 37-8 romp. Sunday night was the best win of the season against the best team they’ve played.

There were plenty of studs with a few duds in San Francisco’s victory over the Packers:

Studs: The entire defense

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

There were plenty of individual studs Sunday night, but the defense as a whole deserves the recognition here. They held the Packers, a team that averages 25 points and 356 yards per game, to just eight points and 198 yards. Aaron Rodgers threw for just 104 yards, the fewest yards he’s thrown for in his career minimum 30 passes, and he set a new low with 3.2 yards per attempt. The defense set the tone with a forced fumble on the first drive and never once lost that momentum.

Pages: 1234567

49ers vs. Packers: 3 things that stood out in the 2nd quarter

The 49ers continued to dominate in the second quarter holding the Packers scoreless through the first half.

The 49ers continued to dominate in the second quarter holding the Packers scoreless through the first half. The offense picked up some of the slack late in the quarter scoring a field goal and a touchdown on their last three drives of the half.

The 49ers took a 23-0 lead into the second half. Here’s what stood out in the second quarter:

Witherspoon back on the field and tested

After Emmanuel Moseley started the game, Ahkello Witherspoon entered in the second quarter and Aaron Rodgers wanted to see what Witherspoon could offer early. On second-and-8 in 49ers territory Rodgers took a deep shot to Davante Adams who was covered by Witherspoon and the pass was incomplete. While the throw was overthrown, it’s important to note that Witherspoon was stride-for-stride with Adams and was tight in coverage. Rodgers was 0-for-3 on balls thrown at Witherspoon in the first half.

Swiss cheese offensive line

What has been a consistently good group the offensive line hasn’t been good Sunday night. Jimmy Garoppolo hasn’t been great in large part because the offensive front can’t keep the Packers out of the backfield. Mike McGlinchey allowed a sack right before the end of the first quarter, and Justin Skule allowed one that turned a second down into a third-and-31, essentially ending the 49ers’ drive. The line will need to better if the offense is expected to do anything. Skule was benched in favor of Daniel Brunskill midway through the quarater.

The George Kittle drive

Kittle returned Sunday night after missing the last two games with what was revealed to be a fractured ankle, and Garoppolo found him a few times in the second quarter. After consecutive three-and-outs for the offense, Kyle Shanahan force-fed the star tight end. The first two plays went to Kittle for gains of 18 and 22 yards and led to a scoring drive with Chase McLaughlin’s second field goal of the game. The points were the first scored by the 49ers since the 3:13 point in the first quarter.