49ers can land free agency steal in 2023 Pro Bowler

The San Francisco 49ers have a clear need on the interior offensive line, with the right guard position in the spotlight after their overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58.

With Jon Feliciano set for free agency and Spencer Burford having committed a crucial protection error in overtime against the Chiefs following an injury to Feliciano, right guard stands as a clear need for San Francisco. Burford, a fourth-round pick in 2022, lost the starting job to Feliciano during the second half of the regular season.

Guard is therefore seen as an area that 49ers could look to address with their first pick (31st overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

However, the 49ers have not used a first-round pick on a guard since Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch took over as head coach and general manager in 2017. They selected starting left guard Aaron Banks in the second round in 2021.

As such, it seems more likely the 49ers will look to find an experienced stopgap in free agency and select a developmental interior linemen later in the draft.

That path is made more appealing by the presence of a potential steal at right guard on the open market. 

A veteran solution

Kevin Zeitler is entering his age-34 season but is coming off an impressive year with the Baltimore Ravens, which saw him named to his first Pro Bowl.

Zeitler was one of the best pass-blocking guards in the league in 2023. Only the Chiefs' Joe Thuney had a higher pass block grade from Pro Football Focus among guards during the regular season. Only seven guards with at least 300 pass blocking snaps allowed fewer pressures than Zeitler's 19.

He was not quite as impressive in the run game. However, Zeitler was 14th among all guards in run block grade on zone blocking plays, which are still the major of the 49er ground game despite an increase in gap scheme runs in recent years.

Zeitler also only had five blown blocks, per Sports Info Solutions, in the run game, just one more than Feliciano had. Feliciano played 206 snaps to Zeitler's 397.

Very affordable help

In other words, Zeitler was an excellent pass protector in 2023 and was solid in the run game, excelling in the facet of run blocking that is most prominent in San Francisco's offense.

He therefore projects as an excellent fit for what the 49ers would be looking for at right guard in 2024, and could come at an extremely affordable price.

A to Z Sports projected Zeitler's likely free agent contract as being a one-year, $6 million deal. With the NFL helping the 49ers with a record salary cap increase and San Francisco having more avenues to create wiggle room through restructures and contract extensions, such a deal should be well within San Francisco's means.

The 49ers can't afford to have the right side of their line being the problem it was in 2023. Zeitler isn't a long-term solution, but for a team firmly in win-now mode after their latest agonizing Super Bowl loss, he's an ideal one for the immediate future.