49ers predicted to add former Super Bowl champ to add much-needed line help

After a more tumultuous offseason than anyone in the building would have liked, it appears 2024 will still be business as usual for the San Francisco 49ers.

Though they were without defending Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey on Monday night, the 49ers waltzed their way to a 32-19 season-opening win over the New York Jets, proving they're still the kings of the castle in the NFC.

It's clear now, if it wasn't already, that the 49ers will be among the toughest offenses to stop in the National Football League this season. But there's still room for added depth at one key spot.

That spot is the guard position, where veteran backup Jon Feliciano is on injured reserve after injuring his knee in the preseason. One option for the 49ers to replace the depth Feliciano represented is a former Super Bowl champion.

On Tuesday, Bleacher Report's Scouting Department predicted the 49ers would land nine-year veteran guard Max Garcia, a free agent still after playing the 2023 season with the New Orleans Saints.

"(The 49ers) could still use some reinforcements in the trenches, especially on the interior," the authors said. "Garcia would be a good addition as he can line up at both guard spots and center. That'd be a valuable backup to have while Jon Feliciano is on injured reserve."

Garcia, 32, has played in 81 career games, including 62 starts. He was a rookie on the Super Bowl-winning Denver Broncos in 2015 and started for Denver the next two seasons. He then moved on to the Arizona Cardinals for four years before his one season in New Orleans.

Garcia has been solid in the passing game over the past two seasons in particular, allowing no sacks in 22 games played. He has a 2.5% blown block rate and 91 career total points earned, per Sports Info Solutions.

A move like this one isn't the sexiest, but it's the kind of addition that can help save a title run. The 49ers need an insurance policy, and that's exactly what Garcia could be.

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