The San Francisco 49ers have been in need of a right tackle ever since they traded Trent Brown to the Patriots in 2018. It’s time to bring him back.
Brown is a 30-year-old free agent and he’s still good, although he misses a few games every season. For that reason, the 49ers should be able to sign him to a one-year deal as a temporary stop gap while a younger offensive tackle develops on the bench.
The 49ers never should have traded Brown in the first place. Kyle Shanahan inherited him but didn’t feel he fit the 49ers’ zone-blocking scheme, so he traded Brown and a fourth-round pick to New England in exchange for a third-round pick which the 49ers used on safety Tarvarius Moore, who was a bust.
To replace Brown, the 49ers used a top-10 pick on Mick McGlinchey, who also was a bust. A mentally and physically weak player to whom the 49ers did not offer a contract extension.
Brown always has been better than McGlinchey, just as Brown always has been better than Colton McKivitz, the 49ers’ current right tackle. McKivitz is mentally and physically tough, unlike McGlinchey, but McKivitz simply isn’t athletic enough to be a quality offensive tackle.
Brown is extremely athletic for a big man. His issues have been staying healthy and staying in shape.
But if the 49ers can get him on a one-year deal, they don’t have to rely on him, because they’ll still have McKivitz, plus they can use their first-round pick on an offensive tackle as well.
Fix this offensive line already. It’s been long enough.
