San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey (69) blocks Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark (55) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Scot Tucker)
Scot Tucker, FRE / Associated PressIn late January, before Philadelphia linebacker Haason Reddick crashed into quarterbackBrock Purdy’s right arm, we’d never heard of the internal-brace technique. Or Dr. Keith Meister.
And we couldn’t speak conversationally about ulnar neuritis, graft harvesting or the complications that can result when ulnar collateral ligament surgery is performed when the area is inflamed (Watch out for elbow contracture!).
For those of us whose disappointed parents wanted us to become surgeons, well, this will have to do: Purdy’s injury has made us amateur orthopedists, waving our microwaved Holiday Inn Express degrees.
Yes, Purdy’s damaged right elbow has dominated theSan Francisco 49ers’ early offseason conversation. The results from his long-awaited surgery Friday could trump any news that comes from free agency, which begins next week, or next month’s draft.
However, there are non-medical topics to address, which leads us to the latest mailbag – as we worry about post-surgery Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. (Some questions have been edited for length, grammar and/or clarity.)
@Hunter100: Do you think the 49ers try to upgrade key positions via free agency? If so, at what position specifically?
The 49ers haven’t spent big money on outside free agents in recent seasons, with last season’s signing of cornerback Charvarius Ward being an exception.
The 49ers opened their wallets for Ward after a season in which their cornerback play was a weak spot on a stingy defense (Remember Josh Norman, Dre Kirkpatrick and those NFL-high 21 pass-interference penalties?).
This season, I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a free-agency splurge on their pass rush, which was a disappointment on last season’s top-ranked defense. The 49ers tied for 10th in the NFL in sacks, which was respectable, but it was a one-man show: No player besides Nick Bosa had more than five sacks or 16 QB hits.
What damage could their defense inflict if they had another proven edge rusher to pair with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year? The 49ers could spend a chunk of their limited salary-cap space – they currently have about $8 million – to find out.
The free-agent class includes a large group of 30-somethings who probably won’t break the bank and still could be effective in a situational pass-rusher role: Brandon Graham (Eagles), Justin Houston (Ravens), Melvin Ingram (Dolphins), Carlos Dunlap (Chiefs) and Robert Quinn (Eagles).
Pro Bowl pass rusher Frank Clark, 29, who was released by Kansas City on Tuesday in a cost-cutting move, is also on the market. The 49ers reportedly discussed trading for Clark before free agency in 2022.
San Francisco 49ers’ Trey Lance and Josh Johnson greet Brock Purdy after a Purdy TD pass during 35-7 win over Tampa Bay Buccaneers in NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, December 11, 2022.
斯科特Strazzante /编年史@CapnNimo717: Who are potential targets for a third-string QB?
Let’s assume the most likely scenario: Purdy will be ready about six months after surgery, making it possible he could start in the season opener in early September.
In that case, the 49ers could be in an interesting spot: They presumably want to sign a competent third quarterback with starting experience after running out of players at the position last season. But why would any QB with a respectable resume want to sign with the 49ers to serve as a third-stringer behind Purdy and混乱关系y Lance?
Their situation seemingly would rule out the top tier of backup-QBs options (Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett, Baker Mayfield, etc.) and the next tier that includes No. 2 QBs with less experience and some upside (Cooper Rush, Mike White, et al.).
Even low-wattage ex-49ers such as Nick Mullens and Nate Sudfeld might not be interested after they were second-stringers in Minnesota and Detroit, respectively, last season.
It’s possible a free-agent QB could slip through the cracks who will view the 49ers as a good one-season landing spot, given Purdy and Lance’s medical files and the presence of head coachKyle Shanahanand his talented-stuffed offense.
If not? Any of y’all heard of Easton Stick?
@espn76:我可以看到49人队彼得ibly drafting Michigan kicker Jake Moody. Could you see the 49ers drafting a kicker?
The 49ers haven’t drafted a kicker since selecting Florida’s Jeff Wilkins in the fourth round in 2002, making them one of five teams to not draft a kicker over that span.
But it’s not hard to envision that streak ending with news that Robbie Gould intends to sign elsewhere in free agency next week.
General manager John Lynch said the 49ers were evaluating kickers at the combine. And they reportedly met with North Carolina State’s Chris Dunn, who, like Moody, won the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s top kicker while in college.
The 49ers are projected to have seven picks in the final three rounds, which is the sweet spot to draft a kicker. Nineteen of the 22 kickers drafted since 2010 have been selected in the fifth, sixth or seventh round.
It will be quite a departure if the 49ers entrust the position to a rookie. The 49ers’ primary kicker hasn’t been under 30 years old since Jose Cortez in 2002.
San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Daniel Brunskill (60) blocks against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Rick Scuteri, FRE / Associated Press@BayAreaBrenner: Why aren’t we spending more time talking about Daniel Brunskill as a solution at right tackle?
The question will be answered. First: a preamble.
Last season, left guard Laken Tomlinson signed a big-money deal with the Jets and Pro Bowl center Alex Mack retired. The solution? The 49ers replaced them with their relatively low-cost backups, Aaron Banks and Jake Brendel, respectively.
They now are hoping for a similar money-saving succession plan with right tackle Mike McGlinchey poised to sign a fat free-agent contract next week.
In the 49ers’ best-case scenario, Colton McKivitz, last season’s swing tackle who is set to be a restricted free agent, will assume the starting spot at a fraction of McGlinchey’s cost. They also have a dark-horse candidate, Jaylon Moore, under a budget-friendly rookie contract.
OK, with that now out of the way: Yes, Brunskill, a pending free agent who can play every offensive-line position, could be a solution if A) The 49ers don’t view McKivitz or Moore as options or B) McKivitz and Moore are given a chance but fall on their face in training camp or C) The 49ers don’t fill the opening with an affordable free agent.
That is, Brunskill isn’t Plan A … or B. Brunskill is a just-OK NFL starter whose versatility makes him an All-Pro backup (if such a thing existed). And the 49ers prefer for him to serve in an off-the-bench or part-time role, as he did last year when he rotated with rookie right guard Spencer Burford.
Brunskill started all 33 games, primarily at guard, from 2020 through 2021 and his performance dipped as the season progressed. Last week, Lynch said a lesser role in 2022 allowed Brunskill to “preserve his body so he can play well late in the year.”
Reach Eric Branch at ebranch@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @Eric_Branch
