Earlier today, in his "For These Nine NFL Players, 2018 Is a Now-or-Never Year," the Ringer's Danny Kelly highlighted several players who have not lived up to their draft day value and have heavy expectations for the 2018 season.
"The 2018 season represents the final opportunity to post a breakout performance—and avoid earning that dreaded 'bust' label," wrote Kelly
Kelly highlighted the extension of 49ers guard Laken Tomlinson as a possible sign that the 49ers might already be thinking otherwise about their 2016 first-round pick, Joshua Garnett.
The 49ers' decision to sign guard (and former Lions draft bust) Laken Tomlinson to a three-year, $18 million contract extension last week solidified him as the team's starter at left guard—and also shined some light on the uncertain future of Garnett, another former first-round pick who, according to The Sacramento Bee, is in danger of getting cut. Garnett was a selection of former GM Trent Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly, after all (28th overall in 2016), and never seemed to be a logical fit for new coach Kyle Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme, which favors athleticism and quick feet over raw strength and bulk. It didn't help, either, that he lost all of last season to a knee injury.
But Garnett didn't waste the time he spent on injured reserve. He reportedly lost 25 pounds since last season, and a possible boost in both speed and agility could put him in a position to compete with veterans Jonathan Cooper and Michael Person for the starting right-guard job. If Garnett can emerge as a reliable starter at that spot, it'd be a major boon for Shanahan and the 49ers offensive line, which is now tasked with protecting big-money quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garnett started in 11 of the 15 games he played during his rookie year at guard but was placed on injured reserve the following season after undergoing knee surgery. The upcoming season will certainly be crucial for the former Stanford Cardinal.
Interestingly, Kelly included two other NFC West players as well. Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche and Seattle Seahawks tackle Germaine Ifedi were also analyzed in similar fashion. You can read the rest of The Ringer feature here.
- Justin Wong
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Written by:Justin Wong has been writing for the 49ers Webzone since 2017 while also running an NFC West blog and podcast called Just The West. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to @JustTheWest on Twitter.
