Kyle Shanahan Says the 49ers "Hated to Lose" Mike McGlinchey in Free Agency

The decision to let Mike McGlinchey walk in free agency is something that didn't sit too well with the 49ers and Kyle Shanahan.

Kyle Shanahan spoke publicly on Tuesday at the NFL's annual meetings for the first time since his exit press conference in February.

Many questions were asked regarding the quarterback position and such, but Shanahan was also asked about the departure of offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey. The 49ers elected to let McGlinchey walk in free agency instead of looking to extend or re-sign him.

McGlinchey ended up signing a five-year deal with the Broncos for $87.5 million with more than $50 million guaranteed. There was just no way the 49ers ever were going to match that. It is something Shanahan has always known, yet it does not take away that he "hated to lose" McGlinchey in free agency.

"Mike just was too good -- we hated losing Mike," said Shanahan. "But we know the level that Mike played at. We had a feeling of what his market would be. I don't think Mike necessarily wanted to leave and we didn't want him to leave, but when you play at that level and your market's gonna be that, it's a good problem for him. We hate to lose him, we also pay our other tackle (Trent Williams) a lot of money.

"That has to do with balancing out a roster, and so it doesn't have to do with specific players. It has to do with how to build a team and when you have a lot money in your other tackle and things like that, if you wanna pay two tackles that much money, then you're gonna have to take away a lot of people who touch the football or who goes to sack the quarterback, and that's not totally what we believe in."

The 49ers have always loved McGlinchey the person more than the player, so it makes sense for Shanahan to talk him up in that regard. But with how Shanahan ended his comment on McGlinchey's departure, he basically said their philosophy isn't to splurge on the offensive line outside of one cornerstone player such as Williams at left tackle. McGlinchey was never going to be back with the 49ers and it was always obvious with him since before the 2022 season began.

I'm sure Shanahan also doesn't like the idea of letting one of the 49ers' top 10 draft picks leave either. It isn't a good look for him nor the franchise as McGlinchey was supposed to be that cornerstone player for years to come. Instead, he ends up being a whiff for the 49ers now that he has left after his rookie contract expired. The 49ers now look toward Colton McKivitz and Matt Pryor to battle it out for the vacant starting right tackle spot.