Chris Hubbard, a swing tackle or a possible day one starter?

The 49ers signed veteran lineman Chris Hubbard in the offseason, and he could very well take over the right tackle duties.

During the early rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, fans were clamoring for the San Francisco 49ers to sign an offensive tackle, which seemed very likely given the overall strength of this year’s offensive linemen.

A major reason? The search for a backup to incumbent right tackle Colton McKivitz, who Pro Football Focus credits with allowing nine sacks over the course of 2023.

However, the Niners decided against signing a tackle directly and instead strengthened the infield with rookie draftees Dominick Puni and Jarrett Kingston.

But less than a month later, San Francisco signed experienced tackle Chris Hubbard to a one-year contract.

Hubbard, who just turned 33, is not a long-term solution. But the well-traveled lineman, who entered the league in 2013 as an undrafted free agent of the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the University of Alabama (Birmingham), became a starter in 2017 before switching teams within the AFC North and starting 35 games with the Cleveland Browns between 2018 and 2022.

Last season, the 6’4″ and 295lb lineman played nine games for the Tennessee Titans and was always in the starting lineup.

The 49ers invested $1.378 million in the Hubbard deal, of which $467,500 is guaranteed.

That’s a decent amount of guaranteed money for a player who will likely be viewed as a backup, meaning Hubbard has a better than good chance of making the 53-man roster right out of training camp.

Despite fans’ concerns about McKivitz, the Niners seem comfortable with his abilities, as evidenced by the fact that they have not used a single draft pick for a clear upgrade, nor have they spent significant amounts of money to sign anyone on the free agent market.

McKivitz also has a contract until 2025, which suggests that San Francisco would prefer some continuity over another change in the starting lineup.

However, Hubbard allowed four sacks in nine games last season, according to PFF, and that percentage is slightly lower than what McKivitz allowed in his full-time role.

The 49ers may not be entirely expectant of the possibility of Hubbard beating out McKivitz early this season, but the smartest bet would be for the latter to win that contest, allowing Hubbard to serve as the Niners’ primary swing tackle, filling in for either McKivitz or All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams in the event of an injury.

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