When the 49ers open their three-day mandatory minicamp Tuesday, it should be interesting to see what happens at right tackle.
With the unexpected retirement of starter Anthony Davis last week, the 49ers’ offensive line could be in for a makeover.
Or, perhaps, it will simply open the door for seventh-round draft pick Trent Brown or veteran free-agent pickup Erik Pears.
During recent organized team activities (OTAs), Brown has been playing right tackle with the first unit with Davis absent. It’s likely that Brown could remain there during this minicamp. Or Pears, who’s been in the picture at left guard as a replacement for the departed Mike Iupati, could move over to right tackle where he’s been a starter since 2006 for the Broncos, Raiders and Bills.
Brown, a former standout at Florida, is intriguing. He’s huge at 6-foot-8 and 355 pounds, but is a nimble athlete.
Niners head coach Jim Tomsula already has been impressed by Brown’s work since being drafted in May.
“Trent Brown has got tremendous ability,” Tomsula told reporters during OTAs. “There’s a lot of development that needs to take place, but absolutely. I really like that guy and I like the way he’s working. I’m not looking at you now telling you Trent Brown is going to start at right tackle. But I’m also not telling you he won’t. He’s just got a lot of potential and his development is really exciting.”
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If Brown or Pears appears ready for the job at right tackle, that would mean Alex Boone could remain at right guard.
But Boone, who played tackle at Ohio State and tackle with the 49ers when he first came into the league, could move out to right tackle. If that move is made the line would be made up of Joe Staley at left tackle, Boone on the right side with Daniel Kilgore the likely starter at center. The guard spots would be a competition between Brandon Thomas, Pears, Marcus Martin, Joe Looney and Ian Silberman, a sixth-round draft choice (6-foot-5, 294 pounds) from Boston College.
Matt Barrows, who covers the 49ers for the Sacramento Bee, sees Boone as a likely candidate to make the transition.
“Boone likely would favor a switch to tackle,” he wrote this week. “Not only is it a more natural position for him because of his 6-foot-8 frame, he could command a bigger contract – whether it’s with the 49ers or another team – as a tackle rather than a guard. He is entering the final year of his deal and is set to become a free agent in March.”
On the other hand, if Brown truly continues to impress – and has the upside that Tomsula believes he has --the 49ers might be stronger with Boone staying where he is and Brown replacing Davis.
