Shortly after the 49ers moved on from multiyear starting guard Mike Person, they agreed to terms with Tom Compton. The defending NFC champions will add Compton on a one-year, $3MM deal, Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets.
The 49ers will be Compton’s fifth team in five years. Following four years with the Redskins, the veteran offensive lineman has become one of the league’s most available journeymen. Compton, 30, has played in at least 11 games with different teams over the past four seasons — the Falcons, Bears, Vikings and Jets.
At two of his previous career stops, however, Compton worked with 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan. The ex-Washington and Atlanta OC may have designs on plugging him into Person’s role opposite Laken Tomlinson or placing him in a competition with another familiar blocker. The 49ers now have Compton and 31-year-old swing man Ben Garland in the fold; each has played for Shanahan in multiple cities. Garland and Compton were teammates with the ’16 Falcons as well.
A former sixth-round pick out of South Dakota, Compton has spent most of his career as a backup. His lone season as a full-time starter came with the 2018 Vikings, whose offensive line was not exactly a celebrated unit. Compton played 363 snaps last season with the Jets, starting five games for an embattled unit, and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 67 overall guard.
Loyalty over talent: dead end street
Niners were extremely loyal to Person. From Jacob Hutchinson:
“In 2011, Mike Person was drafted by the 49ers in the seventh round out of Montana State. He didn’t play a regular snap in a 49ers uniform until 2018. His journey to get back from the 49ers involved a heavy dose of cuts, and a silent retirement that Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch pulled him out of before offering a three-year, $9 million deal in 2020.”
Persons was rated poorly by PFF in pass blocking. Was not good in super bowl and not good against other tougher competition. Compton probably isn’t much better but this pickup is for depth as Brunskill rated much higher and comptonsguaranteed $ (towards the cap) is much less than persons. If they acquire a guard inthe draft, which I’m betting on, than Compton likely will barely see the field.
Niner guards rated average or worse on pass blocking. Tomlinson got beat a lot. I remember yelling at him (ok, at the tv). Heck, you might see Brunskill and a drafted player at both guard spots. Wouldn’t bother me.
Anyway, they were pretty loyal to person and talent wise I think person and Compton are about equal.