Technically, the 49ers addressed all their needs in free agency and can take the best players available with their picks in the draft. But they still have one major thing they need to do: Protect their franchise quarterback.
No offense to Colton McKivitz and Brandon Parker, the 49ers current right tackles, but they're not good enough. They're placeholders. And the upcoming draft has at least seven offensive tackle prospects who are better right now than both McKivitz and Parker.
The 49ers have to draft one of those offensive tackles. They can't waste this opportunity to upgrade at a critical position and protect their future investment at quarterback.
The last time the 49ers thought they had a franchise quarterback was 2018 when they made Jimmy Garoppolo the highest-paid player in the NFL. That offseason, they spent their first-round pick on right tackle Mike McGlinchey.
Now, the 49ers have Brock Purdy, who's much better than Garoppolo ever was. So it's in the 49ers interest to keep Purdy upright and give him as much time to throw as possible, because he's lethal when he has time in the pocket.
If the 49ers stay put at pick no. 31 in Round 1, an offensive tackle who's better than McGlinchey and McKivitz most likely will fall to them. If the 49ers wait until Rounds 2 or 3 to draft a tackle, they probably can get one who can sit for a season and start in 2025.
If the 49ers wait until Day 3 to draft an offensive tackle, they're nuts. It's the biggest need on the team.
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