49ers RG Dominick Puni has a Chance to Become the NFL's Best Guard

No, the 49ers didn't seriously address their offensive line this offseason, but at least they have Dominick Puni.

Puni was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL last season as a rookie. And he played right guard -- a position he never played in college.

Now as he enters his second season, he has a chance to become the best guard in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus.

"Puni was a revelation for the 49ers last season, finishing with the sixth-best overall grade among qualified guards at 80.5," writes PFF analyst Dalton Wasserman. "A major factor in that success was his effectiveness in Kyle Shanahan’s outside zone scheme — his 82.1 outside zone run-blocking grade ranked fifth among all guards.

"With another year of development in Shanahan’s system, both as a run blocker and pass protector, Puni could soon challenge for the top spot at the position. Atlanta’s Chris Lindstrom has held that title for the past three seasons as the NFL’s highest-graded guard. It won’t be easy to unseat him, but if any young player is positioned to do it, it might be Puni."

Puni is extremely quick for his size, and his quickness is what allows him to be so effective as a run-blocker in the 49ers' outside-zone-blocking system. Now, he needs to improve his strength and technique in pass protection. Last season, he gave up three sacks and earned a PFF pass-blocking grade of 69.9, which is just slightly above average.

Expect Puni to take a major leap forward this year.