The San Francisco 49ers would like to maintain some continuity along the offensive line heading into the 2022 season. One unknown is the status of impending free agent Laken Tomlinson, the team's starter of the past five seasons.
Another concern was the status of 36-year-old center Alex Mack, who joined the 49ers last year after five years with the Atlanta Falcons and seven years before that with the Cleveland Browns. Retirement was a possibility.
On Wednesday, general manager John Lynch spoke with Bay Area reporters following his press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. According to The Athletic, he is optimistic that Mack will return in 2022.
John Lynch is optimistic that center Alex Mack will return to the team next season. Mack, 36, said he'd consider retirement this offseason but matters appear to be trending toward him playing a 14th NFL season
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) March 2, 2022
The Browns made Mack the No. 21 overall draft pick in 2009. He has started all 196 career game appearances, starting the entire season 11 times, including 2021.
The status of right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who suffered a torn quad in Week 9 of this past season, is also a concern. However, Lynch added that McGlinchey's rehabilitation following surgery is going well.
"Mike's doing well," Lynch told reporters. "He had a significant surgery to repair that quad tendon. But just as Mike has always done, he attacks everything 100 percent, and his rehab is going really well."
