Latest news with #JakeBrendel
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
49ers center earns amazing compliment from his position coach
The San Francisco 49ers had a rough season in 2024, finishing with in fourth place in the NFC West with a 6-11 record. Their .353 winning percentage was their worst since 2018 when they went 4-12 (.250), which somehow still wasn't bad enough to land in last in the division. While not much went right for the 49ers last year, they did get some great player up front, especially from center Jake Brendel. The former UCLA Bruin, who originally joined the team back in 2020 but opted out to COVID-19, entered his third season as the starting center and had a great year. Advertisement Pro Football Focus gave him a 65.0 overall grade, ranking him 23rd out of 64 qualified centers. He also earned a 71.6 run-blocking grade (13th) and a 55.1 pass-blocking grade (51st). However, when it comes to the grades from 49ers offensive line coach Chris Foerster, Brendel was the best of the best. 'Fewest amount of missed assignments," Foerster said. "His pass protection was the highest grade, his run blocking grade, pass blocking grade, and his mental errors were the best they've been since he's been here. They've been better than any center that we've had playing here up to this point.' Since Kyle Shanahan took over as the team's head coach, the 49ers have had Brendel, Weston Richburg and Alex Mack as their primary starting centers, and in Foerster's mind, this past season was the best yet. According to SIS Data Hub, Brendel had just six blown blocks, which was the fewest of any 49ers offensive lineman in 2024. Advertisement Foerster took some issue with the center's PFF grade, saying that they're grading without context. "It's interesting how he's rated outside of the 32 centers by whatever the grading system is. But I'm not knocking it, because my point is that everybody looks at something different," Foerster told 49ers writer Jake Hutchinson. "So you can knock what I look at and say, 'Oh, you don't know what you're talking about.' That's fine. I know what we asked him to do on every given play and what his role is, what his job is, so I can grade it." As the 49ers prepare for 2025, Brendel is set to enter his four season as the team's starting center, and if he plays the way he did down the stretch, that should be a strong base for the offense to build on to make it back to the postseason again. More 49ers: 49ers wide receivers coach says rookie has 'it' factor they're looking for This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers center Jake Brendel receives tremendous respect from his coach
USA Today
13-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Vikings may give 49ers path to fixing huge problem on offense
Vikings may give 49ers path to fixing huge problem on offense Last season a major problem emerged on the San Francisco 49ers offensive line, and the Minnesota Vikings may be able to help them fix it. Center Jake Brendel regressed for the second consecutive year last year after playing well enough in 2022 to get a long-term contract from the 49ers in free agency. He struggled enough in 2023 and 2024 to make the center position one San Francisco should look to upgrade this offseason. One of those upgrades could come via the Vikings. They're planning to release center Garrett Bradbury if they're unable to find a trade partner according to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero. Players like former Atlanta Falcons C Drew Dalman and former Indianapolis Colts C Ryan Kelly could have provided upgrades at a relatively steep price, and the 49ers don't appear interested in shelling out big money in free agency. That's where Bradbury makes sense if he hits the free agent market. Bradbury, a 2019 first-round pick of the Vikings, has had an up-and-down career that culminated in a career-high 38 pressures allowed last season with a career-worst 96.9 percent pass blocking efficiency per Pro Football Focus. He wasn't great in 2022 nor 2023, but he was at least serviceable as a pass protector, and he's consistently been a strong run blocker. It wouldn't be a major upgrade, but Bradbury is a former first-round pick who is three years younger than Brendel. With the top free agent centers off the board, Bradbury would be a worthwhile swing if San Francisco doesn't want to risk starting a center in the middle of its offensive line.
