The San Francisco 49ers saw up close what they need to do to improve their team after losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. One area that needs bolstering is the offensive line.
San Francisco can count on Trent Williams to protect QB Brock Purdy, but the Niners’ veteran will not be around forever, and the team needs another reliable offensive lineman.
As a result, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill is urging the 49ers to do everything possible to land Baltimore Ravens standout Tyler Linderbaum, who can test the open market in mid-March.
“The 49ers should do whatever they need to do to sign center Tyler Linderbaum,” Hill wrote on X on Jan. 26.
In an article published on Jan. 21, PFF’s Mason Cameron believes that the best landing spot for Linderbaum is with the new NFC champions.
“The Ravens opted against picking up Tyler Linderbaum’s fifth-year option due to exorbitant cost but have expressed interest in extending the Pro Bowl center,” Cameron wrote. “Yet, there has been nothing concrete, and the idea of entering the market as the top free agent offensive lineman may prove alluring to Linderbaum. With other teams possessing more cap flexibility, Baltimore may ultimately be priced out.
“Seattle, a team with ample cap space, will aim to take more swings at improving the interior of its offensive line this offseason. Given the Seahawks’ dedication to establishing a presence in the running game, posting the second-highest run play percentage (47.0%) in the NFL – behind only the Ravens – adding a road grading center in Linderbaum is the perfect fit.”
Steve Young Also Believes Niners Need O-Line Help
Former 49ers quarterback Steve Young also pointed to the offensive line as a major concern he noticed in San Francisco. Young believes upgrading that unit would help the Niners get the most out of Purdy.
“Well, every quarterback needs an offensive line, and they’ve got to be Top 10,” Young Said during a Jan. 22 appearance on KNBR. “With Trent [Williams] in the game, are they Top 10? I’d say it comes and goes. I thought they had some great games this year, but we need to get back to the 2019 offensive line, where we’re the best in the league [or] Top 3.”
49ers Need to Bolster Weapons for Brock Purdy
Moreover, the Niners need to improve their weapons around Purdy. Christian McCaffrey is one of the few players that the signal-caller leaned on this past season.
McCaffrey had 311 carries for 1,202 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 17 games this season, per StatMuse. As a result, Young doesn’t want the 49ers to lean heavily on McCaffrey next season.
“We don’t need speed as much as other squads because we have a lot of tactics,” Young added. “But it can’t be the Christian McCaffrey show. We know that. That’s asking too much of Christian, way too much of Christian. I think it affects Christian’s running game. I don’t think we get the full measure of Christian as a runner when he has to do six other things.”
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