The San Francisco 49ers have a decent offensive line. In their offseason rankings, Pro Football Network has them placed as the 15th best unit in the NFL with a respectable 80.2 grade.
Most of that production is credited to All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, who is among the most respected and feared linemen in football when he's on the field.
Last season, however, he dealt with injury and the rest of the unit saw a concerning drop in production during his absence.
Williams, who is about to turn 37, is in the twilight of his career, and while he hasn't slowed down much, retirement is imminent in the next few years.
That is why ESPN believes the 49ers should get ahead of business with the rest of the offensive line and re-sign right tackle Colton McKivitz.
"McKivitz's contract ends after the 2025 season, and the 49ers don't want to be stuck having to replace both tackles at the same time," reporter Aaron Schatz wrote.
This shouldn't be a major contract, but maybe a two-year cushion should suffice and protect the 49ers from the event of a surprise Williams retirement.
McKivitz has starting experience in San Fran and has shown considerable improvement each season, but he's still got a long way to go in ultimately filling Williams' shoes.
The 2020 fifth rounder had a down season in 2024, ranking 52nd out of 66 qualifying tackles with an 85.9 percent pass block win rate. As a group, the Niners O-line struggled more in protecting the pass than the run, especially toward the end of the year without Williams in the lineup.
PFN noted that the 49ers gave up a 37.1 percent pressure rate to opposing rushers. That number seems inflated, but it isn't all the fault of the offensive line. Quarterback Brock Purdy held onto the ball for an average of over three seconds in the pocket, which was the sixth-highest mark in the league.
San Francisco is likely to let this season play out with McKivitz on a contract year, hoping he is motivated to perform at a high level and earn his next deal.
Williams has assured fans that he believes he can play until he's at least 40, but on a relatively aging offense around young QB Purdy, it's never a bad thing to have long-term stability at crucial positions.
