The Harsh Reality of a Mike McGlinchey in a Micah Parsons Era

McGlinchey is often the inferior athlete to the player across from him. This requires him to be perfect, both mentally and in his technique. When he is not, we have seen him get wrecked.

No player has been the target of 49ers fan ire quite like right tackle Mike McGlinchey. His name is often attached to criticism, frustration, or a punchline. You rarely hear any of the things he might be doing well, but you’ve definitely seen him inverted, flying through the air, as a pass rusher blows by him. As we approach free agency and McGlinchey looks to cash out, the question remains. Is McGlinchey a good NFL tackle?

To fully understand the McGlinchey conversation, we must go back to its origin -- 2018, Kyle Shanahan’s second offseason as a head coach. The 49ers tackles were an aging Joe Staley on the left and big Trent Brown on the right. Shanahan was in the process of reshaping the team in his offensive image. And upfront, he needed move linemen. Tackles who were able to play in space and reach angle blocks on outside zone runs. Staley was well equipped for this style of offense, but he was soon to retire. Opposite him, Trent Brown was a lumbering, large man who would beat you up in a phone booth, but wasn’t as adept out on the edge. 

The 49ers held the No. 9 pick in the 2018 NFL draft. They weren’t a good team, and needed a talent influx at multiple positions. But when the Niners pick came around, Shanahan selected McGlinchey, right tackle, Notre Dame University. 

McGlinchey was a tall, long tackle. He had good enough feet to get on top of linebackers at the second level. He was a smart football player, a hard worker, and came from a good program. And he was a top 10 pick. The expectations for Big Mike were to be great. To be an impact player, a team leader, and a perennial top 10 tackle. But at times during the past 5 years, he’s left something to be desired.

McGlinchey has been a solid player. He does his best work in the run game, particularly when he can play in space and use his length to his advantage. He’s a heady player who works hard. He’s a good locker room guy and says all the right things to the media. But there’s been one little problem; the modern day NFL pass rusher. 

Today's defensive end is often the best athlete on the field. Many of the top tier edge players possess a freakish combination of speed and power. Their techniques and setups are as evolved as ever. And they line up over both tackles. This new breed of defensive end is super charged, pass rushing specialists who will hunt down the weakest link on the O-line and punish him. The days of needing just one good pass blocking tackle are over. 

In pass protection, McGlinchey wins with his length, technique, and football IQ. He is not powerfully built or stout enough to anchor when a bull rush gets inside of him early. He does not possess elite fluidity in his pass sets, or fast twitch explosion to recover when beaten early to the edge. He doesn’t have the light feet we see in Laremy Tunsil or Trent Williams. McGlinchey is often the inferior athlete to the player across from him. This requires him to be perfect, both mentally and in his technique. When he is not, we have seen him get wrecked. 

McGlinchey is not a terrible football player. Many of his staunchest supporters will argue that he gets a bad rap. And it’s true, McGlinchey is a solid NFL tackle. The problem is, he wasn’t drafted to be solid. And he won’t be paid this offseason to be solid. In today's league, pass protection is at a premium. Run blocking is great, it’s important. It’s a part of the game. But it’s only half of the job. And the less important half. McGlinchey is not consistently good at the most important aspect of his job. 

Last year alone, numerous starting quarterbacks were knocked out with injury. Keeping your most important, most vulnerable player upright is so crucial. In the upcoming regular season, the 49ers will face a gauntlet of premier pass rushers - Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett, Haason Reddick, TJ Watt, Chase Young, Trey Hendrickson, Za'Darius Smith, Cameron Heyward, Danielle Hunter, Brandon Graham and more. McGlinchey is a guy who at any moment can get de-cleated and forklifted into your quarterback's lap. He is a player you’d like to upgrade. The question is how? 

McGlinchey will likely command $15 million to $16 million per year. The 49ers should look for an upgrade, particularly in pass protection, even if they have to sacrifice some run blocking. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor is on the market. The 25 year old is coming off a career year in pass blocking, and could come at a slightly discounted price to McGlinchey. Taylor had 100 more pass sets than McGlinchey, with only 9 blown blocks to McGlinchey's 17, and only 1 holding penalty to McGlinchey's 6. Taylor is a player the 49ers should take a look at. 

The 49ers should also look to draft at least one tackle. Tackle is a position that is very difficult to find consistent, quality production at. A premium position, that one could argue should be drafted every year. A position that if neglected, can ruin your game and possibly your season. And a position where two quality pass blocking players are necessary. A rookie can give you swing tackle reps while polishing his game with coach Foerster. 

It would not be a disaster if McGlinchey was brought back, but it would be a disappointment. They would be paying a premium, for non-premium production.