49ers: Interior offensive line still a concern .
On Aug. 31, the 49ers traded for Detroit guard Laken Tomlinson and the deal suggested they had concerns about the interior of their offensive line.
On Sunday, this became evident: Those concerns were warranted.
The 49ers surrendered four sacks and eight quarterback hits — and left guard Zane Beadles had a dubious distinction. According to Pro Football Focus, Beadles allowed a sack, a quarterback hit and four hurries. His Week 1 performance was the worst among NFL guards through Sunday’s games, according to PFF’s grading system.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan’s assessment of Beadles’ 2017 debut?
“I think it was up and down,” Shanahan said. “He did some good things in the game.”
It’s quite possible the 49ers will see if Tomlinson is capable of better things. And that could happen Sunday when they face the Seahawks’ formidable defensive front in Seattle.
Tomlinson, a 2015 first-round pick, was acquired two days before the 49ers placed projected starting left guard Joshua Garnett on season-ending injured reserve with a knee injury. Garnett was replaced by Beadles in training camp and Tomlinson is expected to assume Beadles’ spot when he’s ready to enter the starting lineup.
There’s no guarantee Tomlinson will provide an upgrade. He lost his starting job last year and was traded for a 2019 fifthround pick just two seasons after the Lions selected him No. 28 overall.
Still, Beadles’ performance could hasten Tomlinson’s debut on the heels of a 23-3 loss to the Panthers.
On Sunday, Beadles, 30, was beaten in the first quarter by defensive end Wes Horton for a blindside sack of Brian Hoyer that resulted in a fumble Carolina recovered at the 49ers’ 42yard line. Three plays later, the Panthers took a 7-0 lead on Cam Newton’s 40-yard touchdown pass to Russell Shepard.
In the second quarter, Beadles was pushed aside by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short, whose pressure forced Hoyer to step up into the pocket where he quickly was dropped by Julius Peppers and Star Lotulelei.
“The hard thing about an O-lineman is when you do miss it and it ends being a sack, everyone gets to see that and they don’t get a chance to see the rest of what you do,” Shanahan said. Beadles “had a tough challenge. He had some good players he was going against. At times, he blocked them well. But he came up short on a couple of them and the sack (and) fumble was big one.”
Shanahan noted Tomlinson’s crash course is more difficult because he hasn’t played in an outside zone-blocking scheme. Tomlinson was inactive Sunday.
“With his second week in the system, he should be more ready,” Shanahan said. “He’s a smart guy and we worked him hard in the meeting rooms. But anytime you ask a guy to do something that he hasn’t done in college or the NFL, it’s a little tough with few reps. He’ll have more reps this week.”
Will Tomlinson be ready to make his 49ers’ debut against a front that includes Pro Bowl defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson at ear-splitting CenturyLink Field? Shanahan noted the noise level will make it more difficult, but suggested Tomlinson will play if he’s deemed ready for the challenge.
“That just makes it tougher,” Shanahan said, “but it’s pretty simple what it comes down to: who we think at the time gives us the best chance to win.”