NFL free agency opens up on March 15 and San Francisco will lose right tackle Mike McGlinchey. 49ers general manager John Lynch is bracing for the departure as he believes the franchise will be priced out when the 28-year-old hits the open market.
The Notre Dame product likely wasn’t blindsided by the remarks made by Lynch, as he’s already talked with the organization about his looming free agency situation.
“Obviously, it’s something that was expected,” McGlinchey said Wednesday on KNBR 680’s “Papa & Lund.” “The writing was kind of on the wall a little bit in that regard. John [Lynch] and [49ers coach] Kyle [Shanahan] both had conversations with me before I left the building. It was something we all kind of expected.
“It’s definitely a tough deal. We have a lot of great players in the 49ers organization, which is why we’ve been good for the last five years, and it makes it hard to afford everybody. We have a Hall of Fame, and maybe [the] greatest to play the tackle position [Trent Williams] on our team already; it’s hard to imagine them paying top dollar for both.”
McGlinchey is expected to garner a new contract worth around $15 million per year, which might be too much for the 49ers. Nonetheless, the payday the offensive lineman will receive makes the process exciting but stressful.
“I’m extremely fond of the time I’ve had there,” McGlinchey continued. “The Niners are a first-class organization all the way. I believe that the York family is one of the top ownership groups in football. I’m very thankful to have had the opportunity to have played for them and thankful for John and Kyle for giving me my shot in the league. The Niners have one of the best support staffs I’ve ever been around.
San Francisco 49ers
“People who are like family to me now and a lot of my best friends are in the locker room. On top of it, I wouldn’t have met my wife if I didn’t get drafted by the 49ers. It all worked out in a great way. It’s been my home for the last five years in the Bay, will remain my home, but might have to take a six-month hiatus each year for the next couple.”
RELATED: ESPN analyst says OT Mike McGlinchey 'best fit' for Bears in FA
The soon-to-be former 49ers offensive lineman will have plenty of suitors, but PFF recently predicted the Chicago Bears as McGlinchey's eventual landing spot. So if PFF is accurate, expect McGlinchey to protect Justin Fields for the 2023 NFL season.