If the 49ers truly want to get younger and cheaper, maybe they could start by replacing their 32-year-old center.
If the 49ers truly want to get younger and cheaper, maybe they could start by replacing their 32-year-old center.
Jake Brendel will turn 33 in September and he isn’t getting younger or better. Last season, he ranked 23rd among NFL centers in Pro Football Focus grades. And in pass protection, he ranked 51st out of qualifying 64 centers. Yikes.
As a run blocker, Brendel does a good job in the 49ers’ outside-zone blocking scheme because he’s agile enough to block linebackers in space at the second level of the defense. This is why the 49ers like him.
But in pass protection, he’s worse than lots of backups. He weighs less than 300 lbs., so he cannot block NFL defensive linemen one on one. He almost always needs help.
He’s also responsible for setting the 49ers’ protection schemes before the snap, and their offense is notoriously bad at picking up blitzes on third downs. So Brendel’s value comes almost exclusively in the run game.
The 49ers are on the verge of making Brock Purdy one of the highest-paid players in the NFL this offseason. They won’t be paying him to hand off all the time. They’re going to want him to pass, which means they’re going to need a center who can hold his own in pass protection. And that’s not Brendel.
Don’t be surprised if the 49ers make Brendel compete with Matt Hennessy, Nick Zakelj, Drake Nugent and a rookie for the job during training camp.
May the best man win.