The San Francisco 49ers 0-9 start to the season makes it easy at times to try and forget about the on-field product we’re seeing. We spend more time considering the future, and where things might be headed once the team gets healthier. That being said, sometimes it’s nice to get a little more light-hearted.
The SB Nation NFL sites have been putting together theme weeks posts this season, and this week we were asked a fun question:
"Which offensive lineman on your team would make the best skills position player?"
The prompt for this came as a result of Marshall Newhouse picking up a fumble, running with it, and getting spun like a helicopter. There have been some great moments in the annals of offensive and defensive linemen getting their hands on the ball, and Newhouse’s experience will be forever captured in highlight reels.
This prompt has a fairly obvious answer for 49ers fans. This video isn’t great, but it shows Joe Staley’s 17-yard catch and run, with the emphatic first down gesture to boot.
Staley is the easy call, but what about Trent Brown? He’s a monster of a man, but most everybody raves about his exceptional athleticism. I don’t expect to see trick plays right now given all the injuries and other issues, but at some point, imagine making Brown a tackle eligible for goal line or other short yardage situations? He stands 6’8, and could be a ridiculous mismatch in the right situation. He would actually need to catch passes, but imagine what it would be like to be a defensive player seeing a 6’8, 350 pound pass catcher coming your way?