Let’s be clear about something right away. The 49ers have a roster that most teams would kill for. They added Mike Evans. They brought in Christian Kirk. They stole Osa Odighizuwa from Dallas and plugged holes in the secondary with Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones. On paper, this thing looks like a juggernaut.
But there’s a problem that doesn’t show up on a depth chart. And it’s the same problem that’s been lurking for a while now. The offensive line.
Trent Williams is still Trent Williams. There’s no argument there. The guy might be the best left tackle to ever play the game, and having him on the blindside gives Kyle Shanahan all kinds of flexibility. The issue is what happens next to him.
Everything else is a question mark
Colton McKivitz has been a walking matchup problem against elite edge rushers. Teams know it. They attack him. And when you get into January football, the Eagles and Lions and Cowboys all have guys who can win that battle one-on-one. That’s not a guess. That’s what the tape shows.
Inside, Dominick Puni is still developing. He could be fine. He could be good. But the interior as a whole hasn’t proven it can hold up against the kind of disruptive tackles you see in the NFC playoffs. The depth behind the starters is young and largely unproven. Names like Austen Pleasants, Carver Willis, and Connor Colby are going to be asked to step in if something goes wrong. And something usually does go wrong over a 17-game season.
Brock Purdy needs a clean pocket
Here’s the thing about Purdy. He’s really good at moving inside the pocket and getting the ball out on time. That’s how he makes Shanahan’s offense work. But if pressure comes up the middle, everything breaks down. He can’t step into his throws. He gets pushed sideways. Those timing routes that make the offense so dangerous just disappear.
The 49ers added Evans and Kirk to give Purdy more weapons. Great. But those guys can’t catch the ball if the quarterback is on his back. Interior pressure is the one thing that can neutralize a loaded receiver room.
One injury away from trouble
Williams is 36 years old. He’s still elite, but he’s also one tweaked hamstring away from missing time. And if he goes down, the domino effect is brutal. Shanahan would have to keep extra blockers in. That means fewer receivers running routes. That means the offense gets more predictable. And predictable doesn’t win in January.
The front office addressed almost every need this offseason. But they didn’t make a major investment in the offensive line. That decision might end up being the difference between a Super Bowl and another season that ends with someone else holding the trophy.
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