San Francisco 49ers: Left guard likely to remain question mark

By Nicholas McGee | Jul 12, 2017

GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 13: Guard Zane Beadles /

The San Francisco 49ers have some pieces on the offensive line, but left guard is likely to remain a question-mark through the 2017 season.

The San Francisco 49ers have been far from good on the offensive line in recent times. Anyone who has paid attention to the 49ers in the last two losing seasons knows how bad the play in the trenches has been.

San Francisco ranked last in run-blocking and No. 30 in pass protection in 2016, according to Football Outsiders. However, the Niners have added pieces to the trenches in the offseason and have some promising young players whose performances have suggested better times could be ahead of the offensive line.

Right tackle Trent Brown has endured struggles in run-blocking, but has great potential as a pass-protector as the mammoth former Florida lineman proving extremely difficult for defenders to move. Joshua Garnett flashed some of the dominance in the run game he displayed at Stanford and the right guard’s athleticism should make him a good fit for Kyle Shanahan’s scheme. Veteran left tackle Joe Staley continues to perform at a high level. And the 49ers also traded for a center in Jeremy Zuttah, who is a good fit for a zone-blocking system.

But the one position on the O-line that remains a huge question mark is left guard.

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Zane Beadles was the starter at the position for much of last year but received a lowly grade of 40.2 from Pro Football Focus Edge last year, struggling in both pass protection and run support. Former Vikings guard Brandon Fusco has received first-team snaps in offseason activities but — along with Beadles and Garnett — ranked in the bottom 10 among qualifying guards for pass-blocking efficiency, as reported by PFF at the time of the signing, in 2016.

The 49ers would, therefore, appear to have a significant conundrum at left guard. Even if center Daniel Kilgore were to cede his spot to Zuttah and switch positions, concerns over his durability remain.

Since becoming a starter in 2014 Kilgore has never finished a full season, though he did only miss three games last year. In short, the 49ers will either have to rely on Kilgore defying history and staying healthy, or on a serious upturn in form from Beadles or Fusco. The former scenario appears more likely, and Kilgore should have very strong motivation to perform as he enters his contract year.

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But for all the depth San Francisco added to the offensive line in the offseason, the options at left guard look scarce. There are no guarantees Brown and Garnett will develop as desired, but they have at least shown enough to offer reason for hope at their respective positions.

At left guard, however, there is only uncertainty and — unless one of Kilgore, Beadles or Fusco enjoys a particularly impressive campaign — the interior line is likely to be an area of focus going into next offseason.