McKivitz is optimizing his talent, he improved over the season, and the Niners maintain continuity on the line, so what’s the problem?

Ignoring the draft and the future

First, they repeat a costly mistake from the past, ignoring when the draft provides exceptional quality. This occurred during two cap management drafts where players were picked to replace veterans who asked for over-budget money.

They traded DeForest Buckner, then dealt the pick that was used on Tristan Wirfs and took Javon Kinlaw. Traded Trent Brown then used their first-round pick on Mike McGlinchey to replace him when Derwin James and Minkah Fitzpatrick were on the board.

Add Wirfs and James, does this current team have a ring? Or two? These draft mistakes carry a serious price. And yes, I was pounding the table for those players when the Niners whiffed.

Now on to the 2024 draft, with as many as six tackles graded at All-Pro or Pro Bowl ability: Joe Alt, Taliese Fuaga, Amarius Mims, Olu Fashanu, C.J Latham, and Troy Fautanu. A single draft having the talent and depth of six Day 1 starting tackles is exceptionally rare.

Now it makes no sense to trade into the late teens to early 20s for a Day 1 starter after giving McKivitz starter money. It would also fall outside of cap strategy and history for Kyle Shanahan to invest money at right tackle and then deal up for a high draft pick at the same position.

This doesn’t eliminate taking other tackles after pick 24 in the draft, but none of them are projected as Day 1 starters and are likely redshirts who lack the upside of the players the Niners effectively just passed on. Players that would be a high-impact replacement for Trent Williams at left tackle in 2026.

Which then leads to the second problem, a focus solely on the now. This draft has players who could truly step in for Williams down the road. Extending McKivitz likely takes those players out of the equation. An opportunity like this does not come annually.