Alex Mack‘s 49ers contract runs through the 2023 season, but the decorated center has not determined if he wants to play the second season of that three-year pact. Mack is considering retirement, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Both Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch are operating like Mack will be back, but as the 49ers begin their offseason program, they face the prospect of losing another offensive line starter. A former first-round Browns pick, Mack returning would mean playing a 14th NFL season. Mack has played 204 career games.
“We’ve had really good communication. He’s training like he’s coming back,” Lynch said at the league’s recent owners meetings. “I won’t speak for him, but all signs are him coming back and him being part of us.”
Shanahan brought his former Falcons charge to San Francisco last year, and Mack earned his seventh Pro Bowl nod — albeit as an alternate — after playing all 17 games. The 49ers have right tackle Mike McGlinchey coming off a season-ending injury and will be breaking in a new left guard, after Laken Tomlinson‘s Jets defection. Mack coming back would certainly help the contending team, one set to begin the Trey Lance era after four-plus seasons with Jimmy Garoppolo under center.
Mack surprising the 49ers with a mid-offseason retirement would remind of Joe Staley‘s decision to hang up his cleats in April 2020. The 49ers traded for Trent Williams to patch that hole. A Mack successor could come in the draft, should it be necessary. Center should certainly be a position the 49ers consider with an early- or mid-round pick, given Mack’s hesitancy ahead of his age-37 season.
This would really put a damper on the 49ers already somewhat lackluster off-season, because they’ll really need Mack and his veteran leadership and experience at Center especially if they are going to transition over to Trey Lance as their starter.
Center is actually one of the most important positions in Kyle’s offense, so this could potentially be a huge blow for them. No matter who they draft or bring in, unless they have experience in Kyle’s offense AND their am above average quality Center, then the 49ers will be taking a negative hit. Especially this late, and especially with their limited funds, the 49ers are not going to be able to replace Mack with anyone other than a retread veteran or a rookie…
Not to mention, you also have to consider that it looks like they will already be starting Aaron Banks at LG, and then possibly having Jaylon Moore either starting at RG for Brunskill or having Moore start at RT for McGlinchy if he isn’t ready to come back. So, it is possible, if Mack retires, they very well could be changing over to Lance with THREE NEW OL starters….That certainly is NOT IDEAL, and cannot be what the 49ers originally had in their plans…
Dude, you give off the vibes of a somewhat knowledgeable fan but then throw out a really casual-like statement “lackluster” off-season. True fans understand we have had a very good off-season. Addressed areas of need, didn’t blow out the bank, added solid team pieces, and we haven’t even drafted yet. plus, we still have the June 1st cut market. We were 3 ponts from the SB, what crazy activities did you want? Wrong term is all I’m saying
JC Tretter is still out there. He’s replaced Mack before and may do it again. Tretter may not have been the 1st center but he was the Browns 1st regular center
Trotter never played for Kyle Shannahan, which I think if they could, they’d like to have someone who has experience either in his system or possibly one of his pupils or peers systems that’s at least somewhat similar to Kyle’s offense.
With that being said, if Mack leaves, they’ll likely find a veteran from a zone blocking system, and then Kyle will likely target the 49ers longterm replacement for Mack in the draft. This way Kyle can pick and choose from each player’s strength and weaknesses, find someone that already has had experience and a high level of success in a ZBS, and then Kyle can have his draftee molded as a clean slate into the Center he wants and needs to.best run his offense…
I could see maybe a guy like Tretter getting picked up in free agency, and then they could likely take Boston College’s Alec Lindstrom somewhere near the 5th (150-170 range), and they’ll have a full year to train him as their Center of the future…
If they want to select someone I’m a bit higher on Kyle could look to C/OG Cameron Jurgens from Nebraska (he’s closer to the 100-115 range). I think he would fit perfectly in their scheme, and would come ready made to take.over from Day 1. Still though, it certainly isn’t ideal to have one redshirt rookie at LG, and then one true rookie at Center while they are starting such an inexperienced QB in Trey Lance, so even if Jurgens does come more.pro ready, they still.might choose to sign a veteran and let Jurgens sit until he’s able to get some snaps under his belt later on in the season…
Luke Fortner out of Kentucky could make sense for SF. Experience throughout the interior line, played well at center this year, and not only a zone scheme, but an offensive coordinator who had previously been on McVay’s staff and just left Kentucky to return as McVay’s new OC.
They play the same zone blocking scheme. Browns offensive line coach is Bill Callahan who was in Washington with the Shanahans.
What is it w/ the 49’ers bad luck w/ Centers ?? Either they get injured or retire. Can ANY of them stay healthy or at very minimal complete a Contract ?? What’s the use of even giving any contracts when these idiots won’t even live up to their end of the deal. And Now lets Not make a decision til after the draft, when it’s too late !!
Yes, how idiotic of someone to retire with their body still intact. Especially when they’re as injury-prone as you proclaim
Then Only sign a one yr contract if you are Not going to live up to a full 3 yr contract.
He might as well retire he already knows with the “ Genius of Shanachoke” he will only win the first 3 quarters of a sure Super Bowl victory until the genius figures out a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of certain victory.