3 players the San Francisco 49ers should draft instead of Mac Jones
Pick Analysis. OL. Penei Sewell. player. Scouting Report. Oregon. 2. 820
Re-signing Trent Williams was a big move for the 49ers, so he’ll cover the blindside of whoever the quarterback is for the next couple years at least. But the eight-time Pro Bowler will turn 33 in July, and he hasn’t played all 16 games in a season (whatever the circumstance) since 2013.
A closer look at the structure of William’ six-year deal is warranted here. The 49ers are basically locked into him for two or three years, with chunks of his 2023 salary becoming guaranteed on April 1, 2022 ($5 million) and April 1, 2023 ($10 million). If the team is willing to eat some dead money in 2023, and Williams’ play has not backed up his pay, they could move on. Over The Cap hints at an April 1, 2023 deadline for Williams to opt in to the 2024-2026 seasons, perhaps as a nod to him considering retirement by that point in time.
Sewell is still considered the best offensive tackle in this class after opting out of last season for Oregon. He has seemed destined for the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5, but there are teams who could put a big fly in that ointment. The 49ers are in that conversation to some degree, as unlikely as it seems, even if it means they’d have Sewell supplant Mike McGlinchey at right tackle to start his career.