OK, Daniel Brunskill. Your time is now.
With starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey now sidelined for four to six weeks with a knee-ligament sprain that will require arthroscopic surgery, Brunskill will step into the right tackle spot beginning Sunday against the Rams in Los Angeles.
It’s yet another setback for the 49ers offense that already has lost starting left tackle Joe Staley and fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
Brunskill, a 6-foot-5, 265-pounder who played at San Diego State, has little NFL experience. He went undrafted in 2017 and spent two years on the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons, then wound up playing for the now-defunct San Diego Fleet of the also-defunct Alliance of American Football earlier this year. He signed with the 49ers in April as a free agent.
Now, the 49ers will have a pair of backups starting at the offensive tackle spots against the defending NFC-champion Rams Sunday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Wednesday that Brunskill saw some action against both Pittsburgh and Cleveland and played well in limited snaps – and now gets the chance to show he belongs.
Like Skule (who's starting at left tackle in place of Joe Staley), Brunskill is being thrown into action in an NFC West showdown between 4-0 San Francisco and 3-2 Los Angeles.
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“Very similar to Skule, the game’s not too big for him,” Shanahan said of Brunskill. “He’s very efficient. He’s a smart player. He’ll get the job done. He’ll be ready for the challenge.”
Shanahan said Brunskill “had a real good preseason.”
Sam Young is now the backup tackle for both Skule and Brunskill.
McGlinchey was hurt during the victory over Cleveland Monday night, but played through it. The extent of his injury was announced Wednesday.
Sunday’s game against the Rams is set for a 1:05 p.m. kickoff.
