Jon Feliciano will leave New York for San Francisco. The former Bills and Giants starter is joining the 49ers, according to Newsday’s Kim Jones. This is a one-year agreement.
Following Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen from Buffalo to the Big Apple, Feliciano rebounded from two injury-prone seasons with the Bills by starting 15 Giants contests last season.
The team showed interest in re-signing both Feliciano and Nick Gates, but both will be elsewhere in 2023. Gates signed with Washington last week.
After going into last season with startlingly inexperienced first-string interior offensive line, the 49ers stuck with the Aaron Banks–Jake Brendel–Spencer Burford trio. But supplanted starter Daniel Brunskill still played a steady role as a swingman and rotational presence.
Brunskill has since rejoined Ran Carthon in Tennessee. Feliciano now looks like he will be San Francisco’s inside swing player.
Feliciano, 31, has experience at both center and guard, lining up as the Giants’ pivot but playing guard alongside Mitch Morse with the Bills.
The former fourth-round Raiders pick has lasted eight NFL seasons, going from Oakland backup to starter on each of his New York teams. Feliciano has made 54 NFL starts.
The Bills gave Feliciano an extension after his 16-game 2019 season, but after injuries shortened his 2020 and ’21 slates, the team made him a cap casualty in 2022.
Employing a Buffalo-imported power structure, the Giants gave him another opportunity. Pro Football Focus did not think much of Feliciano’s first season as a full-time center starter, ranking him 31st at the position. But he played a key role for a resurgent Giants team and has fared better at guard in the past.
The Titans gave Brunskill a two-year, $5.5M pact, which represents a nice bump from his 49ers rookie deal. The NFC West franchise will move on to another low-cost veteran option.
Considering Brunskill played 519 offensive snaps despite starting only two games, this Feliciano addition could prove pivotal for the 49ers’ O-line next season.
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