Each week leading up to the start of training camp, 49ers.com will assess the team's roster as we get closer to the season. In this installment of the 2023 roster breakdown, we will take a look at the offensive line and how the team will address the position group's restructuring.
Previous Installments: Rookies | Free Agents | Coaches | Quarterbacks | Tight Ends
Position Outlook
During the 2023 free agency period, the 49ers saw two offensive linemen leave the team to join other rosters. Former first round pick Mike McGlinchey signed with the Denver Broncos and flex offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill signed with the Tennessee Titans over the offseason.
San Francisco opted not to draft an offensive lineman in this year's draft despite the departures, reinforcing the confidence the team has in the players currently on the roster, including fourth-year veteran Colton McKivitz. McKivitz is set to pick up where McGlinchey left off as a starting right tackle, signing a two-year extension with the team through the 2024 season.
"You can win with Colton," head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "He's been here for a while. When he has played, we have won games with him. He did a hell of a job two years ago getting into the playoffs when he had to start unexpectedly versus the (Los Angeles) Rams."
Consistency is a key factor to an offensive line's success, and the 49ers will retain four of their five starting offensive linemen that helped lead the team to the NFC Championship Game in 2022. The group returning for the 2023 season is highlighted by star left tackle Trent Williams who is entering his fourth season with the 49ers and center Jake Brendel who re-signed with the team to a four-year deal through the 2026 season. The team will also look to guards Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford to provide continued stability on the O-line in the upcoming season.
New to the team are free agent acquisitions Jon Feliciano from the New York Giants, Matt Pryor from the Indianapolis Colts and undrafted free agents Joey Fisher, Corey Luciano and Ilm Manning.
"We have a lot of interchangeable parts. The thing about all these guys is that they all buy in," offensive line and run game coordinator Chris Foerster said during the 2023 State of the Franchise. "They're all the right kind of guys, they're all pros, they love working, they love what they do, they're willing to do anything, they're smart, they do everything we ask them to do every single day, they have good ideas, they're awesome guys to work with and that's the thing we really like about them."
Position Breakdown
- Aaron Banks (3rd Season)
- Jake Brendel (7th Season)
- Spencer Burford (2nd Season)
- Jon Feliciano (9th Season)
- Joey Fisher (1st Season)
- Alfredo Gutierrez (3rd Season)
- Keith Ismael (3rd Season)
- Corey Luciano (1st Season)
- Ilm Manning (1st Season)
- Colton McKivitz (4th Season)
- Jaylon Moore (3rd Season)
- Jason Poe (2nd Season)
- Matt Pryor (6th Season)
- Leroy Watson (2nd Season)
- Trent Williams (13th Season)
- Nick Zakelj (2nd Season)
2022 Recap
The 49ers 2022 offensive line featured Williams at left tackle, Banks at left guard, Brendel at center, Burford at right guard and McGlinchey at right tackle with Brunskill rotating in at center and guard throughout the season.
San Francisco's offensive line ranked fifth in Pro Football Focus' pass-blocking efficiency over the 2022 campaign.
Williams headlined the group's success, finishing the year as the best-graded tackle in the NFL for the third-straight season. PFF writer Sam Monson called Williams "a future Hall of Famer and one of the best players in the game."
Offensive Line Breakdown
As the No. 48 pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Banks now enters his third year with the 49ers. Last season, Banks stepped up to fill in a major role at left guard following Laken Tomlinson's departure from San Francisco in free agency.
Banks started in every game for the 49ers last season, allowing only two hits and one sack.
In March, Brendel signed a four-year extension through the 2026 season with the 49ers. Brendel took over as the team's center following Alex Mack's retirement last year and started all 17 regular season and all three postseason games for San Francisco in 2022.
Brendel was also named an alternate for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games and won the Bobb McKittrick Award, which is given annually to the 49ers offensive lineman who best represents the courage, intensity and sacrifice displayed by the longtime offensive line coach.
Burford was selected by the 49ers in the fourth round (134th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft and recorded an impressive rookie year. In his freshman season, Burford started 16 regular season and all three postseason games for San Francisco.
"This year, boy, he has come back, looks like a different guy, carrying himself differently," Foerster said. "The confidence level, the jump between years one and two for a player is the biggest jump they ever make... This year I think he's more prepared for the whole process. He knows what it is. I think he's ready to make that step and he looks prepared and ready to go."
Feliciano was originally drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. Throughout his eight-year NFL career with the Raiders (2015-18), Buffalo Bills (2019-21) and New York Giants (2022), he has appeared in 97 regular season games (54 starts) and nine postseason contests (six starts).
In 2022, Feliciano started all 15 regular season games withe the Giants at center. He also started each of the team's two postseason contests.
An offensive lineman out of Shepherd, Fisher started all 43 games he appeared in throughout his four-year college career. In 2022, he was named a DII All-American, helping block for an offense that produced 489.3 yards per game, including 312.5 passing yards per game, receiving First-Team All-PSAC East honors for the second-consecutive season.
In May, Fisher agreed to terms with the 49ers to become an undrafted free agent.
In 2021, the 49ers added Gutierrez as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway program. The program is dedicated to onboarding international players from around the world to gain vital experience in the league.
The undrafted lineman saw some action during the 2021 and 2022 preseasons and has mostly contributed to the team's practice squad.
Ismael was originally drafted by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round (156th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. The offensive lineman joined the 49ers practice squad in September of 2022.
In January, the 49ers signed Ismael to a Reserve/Future contract.
An offensive lineman out of the University of Washington, Luciano appeared in 35 games (13 starts) in four years for the Huskies after transferring from Diablo Valley College (2017-18). In 2022, he received Third-Team All-Pac 12 honors after starting all 13 games at center.
In May, Luciano agreed to terms with the 49ers to become an undrafted free agent.
An offensive lineman out of Hawaii, Manning appeared in 62 games (60 starts) during his five-year college career. In 2022, received First-Team All-Mountain West honors after starting all 13 games.
In May, Manning agreed to terms with the 49ers to become an undrafted free agent.
McKivitiz was selected by the 49ers in the fifth round (153rd overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The lineman saw action in 16 games (including playoffs) with the 49ers last season, serving as a backup swing tackle. McKivitz finished the 2022 season with a clean record, receiving zero penalties and not allowing a single hit or sack. Entering Year 4, McKivitz is projected to step in as the team's starting right tackle.
Moore was drafted by the 49ers in the fifth round (155th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft and is entering his third season with the team.
Last season, Moore appeared in all 17 games and started in two for San Francisco, playing a total of 184 snaps at left tackle.
Poe originally joined the 49ers as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2022 season. The lineman finished the season on the team's practice squad.
In January, the 49ers signed Poe to a Reserve/Future contract.
Pryor was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round (206th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft. Throughout his five-year NFL career with the Eagles (2018-20) and Indianapolis Colts (2021-22), he has appeared in 60 regular season games (24 starts) and started one postseason contest.
In 2022 with the Colts, Pryor appeared in 16 regular season games (nine starts) along the offensive line.
After playing tight end at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Watson joined the 49ers practice squad in September of 2022.
In January, the 49ers signed Watson to a Reserve/Future contract.
Williams is coming off of a standout Year 3 in San Francisco, where the left tackle earned his second-career All-Pro honor and was selected to his 10th-career Pro Bowl.
At the close of the regular season, Williams was considered one of the top offensive linemen, if not top player, in the entire league in his 12th season. According to PFF, Williams finished the year with an overall grade of 93.0, the highest grade of all NFL offensive tackles.
Zakelj was drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft and is entering his second season with the team.
Last season, Zakelj appeared in five games for San Francisco, playing a total of 12 snaps at left guard.
