The 49ers are entering 2018 with a much improved roster than before Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch got their hands on it. They addressed several positions in the draft, but there are still things the 49ers may have as a weakness heading into 2018. Christian D’Andrea at the SB Nation mothership did a run down of each team’s weaknesses heading into 2018 and listed the 49ers as offensive guard:
Adding Mike McGlinchey gave the 49ers the draft’s meanest blocker, but the Notre Dame product is a tackle for a team with pressing needs at guard. Joshua Garnett didn’t play at all last year due to an injury. Brandon Fusco departed in free agency, Zane Beadles was released, and Lions’ castoff Laken Tomlinson has failed to live up to his first-round billing from 2015. Jonathan Cooper, another former first-round pick who was given up on by both the Cardinals and Patriots, was signed from the Cowboys to fill Fusco’s shoes, but there’s a limited amount of talent on either side of Weston Richburg in San Francisco.
Guard certainly is a concern. With the lack of any fliers taken in the draft it could mean the 49ers are content with the guard situation going into training camp. Garnett remains a significant wildcard, especially with all the weight he’s lost. Even if he were to be a world-beater at the position, that still leaves Tomlinson and Cooper fighting for the other side and that’s not exactly inspiring.
One has to wonder also about edge-rusher at this spot. The 49ers need a pass rush and the position got addressed with the pick of Kentavius Street, someone who won’t see the field in 2018 due to a knee injury. They also re-signed Cassius Marsh but he’s not a world-beater in getting to the quarterback.
What do you see as the 49ers biggest weakness heading into 2018?