The San Francisco 49ers signed guard Zane Beadles to a three-year contract on Tuesday. Beadles joins the 49ers after spending the last two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He is expected to compete with the likes of Andrew Tiller, Brandon Thomas, Marcus Martin and Ian Silberman to fill San Francisco's vacancy at left guard.
Here are five things to know about the team's newest addition.
1. He's remarkably durable
Since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2010, Beadles has appeared in all 96 games – starting 94 of them. Even more impressive, the guard has only missed a total of nine offensive snaps over the last five seasons.
That knack of avoiding injury didn't start in the NFL, though. Beadles never missed a game as a three-year starter in high school. Then in college at Utah, Beadles was a four-year starter, playing in 51 out of a possible 52 games. So in his entire career, Beadles has sat out one game – a 2008 matchup against UNLV due to a minor knee injury.
Continuity and stability are critical on an offensive line, and now the 49ers boast two of the most durable linemen in the NFL (Joe Staley has started every game since 2011).
2. He's a Pro Bowl-caliber player
In 2012 and 2013, Beadles was one of the most effective guards in the league. He started all 32 games for the Denver Broncos and allowed just 2.5 sacks. Beadles was rewarded with a 2013 Pro Bowl nod before parlaying his success into a five-year contract with the Jaguars in 2014.
Although Jacksonville released Beadles earlier this month, there's reason to believe scheme-fit played a role in the parting. While with the Broncos, Beadles excelled in the type of zone blocking that new 49ers coach Chip Kelly will likely use in San Francisco.
With the Jaguars, the team moved to a gap scheme in 2015 and averaged 92.1 rushing yards per game (27th in the NFL). Moving back into his comfort zone could help Beadles return to his Pro Bowl form and give the 49ers a steal of a free-agent pickup.
3. He's a leader in the community
Back in February, Anquan Boldin became the first 49ers player to win the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
With Beadles now on the roster, the team might not have to wait long to claim another. The guard was the Broncos nominee for the award in 2012 and the Jaguars nominee in 2015. He joins Torrey Smith as other past nominees now with San Francisco.
Beadles accomplishes his philanthropic work through the Zane Beadles Parade Foundation, which supports young people going through life-changing medical experiences.
While in college at Utah, Beadles met a 7-year-old named Ryker, who was fighting a brain tumor. The two grew close and remained friends until the boy passed away in 2007. Beadles' relationship with Ryker inspired the guard into action.
The foundation is focused on providing fun, excitement and joy to young patients and their families. He has raised more than $250,000 to support the cause in just over two years. Beadles' long-term goal is to build safe, clean housing around the country for long-term oncology and bone marrow transplant pediatric cancer patients.
4. He's an accomplished dancer
Last week, we posted a photo gallery on 49ers.com highlighting the best on-field dancers in 49ers history. Well, after researching Beadles' talents, we might have to make a few updates.
In 2014, Beadles appeared on "The Ellen Show" to promote his foundation ahead of the Broncos appearance in Super Bowl XLVIII. Before filming, Beadles told Ellen DeGeneres that it was his dream to dance with her. And so the lineman showed off his moves on national television. Later in the interview, Ellen donated $10,000 to Beadles' charity. You can watch the full video below.
Also in 2014, Beadles participated and won a “Dancing with the Stars”-like competition that paired celebrities with professional dancers to support Colorado Ballet. Beadles performed the salsa, tango, freestyle and K-Pop to take home the trophy.
5. He's happy to be joining the #NinersEmpire
Beadles joins the likes of Smith, Eric Reid, NaVorro Bowman and others as an active 49ers player on Twitter.
As of Tuesday, the guard had posted 2,141 times on the social media site. Most of his tweets involve his charitable work or offseason travels, but he recently took the time to playfully acknowledge his new fanbase.
