The 49ers on Sunday threw a couple of wrinkles into their offensive front. Veteran OL Daniel Brunskill, who returned in Week 4 from a preseason hamstring injury, saw action at both guard spots during San Francisco’s Week 5 drubbing of the Panthers. The results made it clear that the best version of the 49ers’ OL involves Brunskill.
Against the Rams in Week 4 Brunskill played 21 snaps at right guard. He earned a 70.8 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus after allowing one pressure and one hurry in his first game action of the year. His run blocking grade was a much less desirable 45.5 via PFF.
He didn’t get into the starting lineup for Week 5, but he filled in at left guard for seven snaps and right guard for 26 snaps. The strong pass blocking and poor run blocking trend continued, but the ability to keep the quarterback upright is too important to leave Brunskill on the bench, and his experience could be helpful alongside center Jake Brendel and right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who has played alongside Brunskill the last couple of seasons.
Rookie Spencer Burford had a strong debut in Chicago, but has mostly struggled since then, so it’d make sense that Brunskill would take over at the position he started all 17 games at a year ago. It stands to reason his run blocking will ascend toward his league-average mean, and if he continues pass blocking at a high level it would be a pretty dramatic improvement for the 49ers’ offensive front.
The change may not be noticeable on a play over play basis, but improved offensive line play could change the outcome of three or four plays per game in San Francisco’s favor. The O-line was the biggest question mark going into the season for the 49ers. Any answers they found so far are shaky at best, so adding stability with a player like Brunskill is the most logical short-term answer.
