McGlinchey’s durability sparks trade of Brown
SANTA CLARA >> Mike McGlinchey arrived at the 49ers facility Friday as their new right tackle, and an amazingly durable one at that.
The same can’t be said for his predecessor, Trent Brown, whose injury-shortened 2017 season preceded his trade Friday to the New England Patriots. The 49ers got a third-round pick in return for Brown and a fifth-round choice.
“I’ve never missed a football game,” said McGlinchey, drafted ninth overall Thursday out of Notre Dame.
Never, as in all the way back to youth football, and back to his days at William Penn Charter School, where he merely played every snap on offense, defense and special teams for the 30-man varsity. Since breaking into Notre Dame’s starting lineup at the 2014 Music City Bowl, he made 39 straight starts.
Recapping his knockon-wood injury history, he said: “I had a sprained ankle for most of my junior season. I had the stomach flu in my first start ever, and that was kind of crappy. I had a broken hand in a couple games. Nothing too significant that’s ever kept me out of playing.”
GM John Lynch referred to McGlinchey’s durability — or resiliency — shortly after drafting the 6-foot8, 315-pounder on Thursday night.
“I’m sure he has some injuries, but we haven’t seen it because he doesn’t talk about them and he just plays,” Lynch said. “He’s a guy who shows up every practice, every week and that’s truly what we believe an O-lineman should do.”
McGlinchey will wear No. 69.
Brown started 25 straight games until a concussion sidelined him for an Oct. 29 loss at Philadelphia, and he missed five of the final six games with a shoulder injury that required surgery. Brown is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the 49ers had balked at extending his deal.
Linebacker Eli Harold reacted angrily on Twitter at Brown’s departure, posting in part: “I’m pissed off man!”
• Jaquiski Tartt signed a two-year extension Friday with the 49ers, having shown the versatility and grit appreciated by Lynch, a former All-Pro safety. Tartt is 1 of 9 picks remaining from former general manager Trent Baalke’s drafts from 2010-16. The two-year, $13 million extension runs through 2020, according to NFL Network.
Tartt broke his arm Nov. 3 against the Cardinals and finished the season with 54 tackles.
“It was very hard,” Tartt said of sitting out last season’s 5-0 finish. “Our team was winning. I wanted to be a part of that, be on the field playing with my teammates.”
• The No. 43 overall pick, which the 49ers sent to New England Oct. 31 for Jimmy Garoppolo, got dealt again Friday, with the Detroit Lions ultimately using it to select Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson.