Andrew Buller-Russ
The San Francisco 49ers came back to life last season after missing the playoffs in 2024. Their resurrection now has many believing that coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have once again assembled a Super Bowl contender.
Yet, as we’ve seen time and time again, injuries can play a major factor in a team’s overall success and/or failure. Plus, there are still some areas, such as the interior offensive line, that have room for improvement.
Recently, ESPN’s Matt Bowen suggested that the 49ers are the “best team fit” for unsigned free agent offensive guard Kevin Zeitler. The 36-year-old one-time Pro Bowler spent last season with the Tennessee Titans, where he started 16 games. Plus, last year’s starting left guard, Spencer Burford, has since signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency.
“The veteran has a physical inside presence, using his power to displace defensive tackles. And he has the movement ability to pull on gap schemes, which fits into Kyle Shanahan’s system. Zeitler also uses his strong base in protection, ranking 37th out of 65 qualifying guards in pass block win rate last season (92.4%). He would be an upgrade to the interior of San Francisco’s O-line, which saw left guard Spencer Burford leave for the Raiders in free agency.”
ESPN’s Matt Bowen on Kevin Zeitler
Whether the 49ers still feel like Zeitler has something left in the tank remains to be seen. He’s played for three different teams in the past three seasons, but he did earn his lone Pro Bowl nod in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens.
If signed, the 49ers would have the NFL’s oldest starting offensive tackle in soon-to-be 38-year-old Trent Williams and the oldest starting offensive guard in Zeitler. Yet, they certainly wouldn’t be short on experience, with each bringing over 200 starts to the table.
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