San Francisco 49ers could give Joe Staley a new deal

San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley is one of the best in the business, and he and right tackle Anthony Davis form one of the league’s most formidable tackle bookends. Both players are great at keeping Colin Kaepernick clean, but they are even better at moving the pile in the running game and allowing franchise back Frank Gore to bounce outside. Staley has the football IQ to match the most instinctive linebackers pound-for-pound, and he has the physical tools to seal off the best run-stuffing DEs with the nasty blocking streak of a guard to boot.

According to ESPN NFL Nation’s Bill Williamson, there are “whispers” that the 49ers could offer Staley a new contract, because “many” believe that the 29-year-old is underpaid. Although Staley is signed through the 2017 season (through the prime of his career), he will only make $2.7 million, $4.5 million, $5.4 million, and$6.25 million in these four seasons.

It will be interesting to see how serious Trent Baalke is about rewarding one of his best players on either side of the ball, as Staley is regarded as an elite pass protector and run blocker. While his contract seems lengthy, he should be making quite a bit more over those four seasons. He’ll be about 33 by the time his deal expires, and there’s no reason to think that he still won’t play at a high level then. The 49ers will need to place a safeguard or two if they decide to give Staley more money, but he deserves a raise and probably won’t decline until a second contract.