The San Francisco 49ers will return most of their offensive starters from last season in 2025, and that trend will continue in the 2026 offseason. However, one name sticks out as a free-agent-to-be who could be in line for a massive raise from the 49ers next year.
Right tackle Colton McKivitz is entering the final year of his contract with the 49ers. Before last season he signed a one-year contract extension worth up to $5.85 million with $3.785 million in new guarantees according to Over the Cap. That puts the 2020 fifth-round pick in line for unrestricted free agency next year after signing a pair of short-term new deals.
Entering 2025 it doesn’t appear McKivitz will break the bank as a free agent. Some may even argue the 49ers would be okay letting him walk and replacing him with a draft pick. However, over the last two years McKivitz has gone from a passable RT to something closer to an above-average starter.
Entering the 2023 campaign McKivitz had played in only 28 games with five starts across three seasons. He was even waived before the 2021 season and eventually spent part of the year on the practice squad. In 2023 he took over as the full-time starter at right tackle and had a rough go despite playing his natural position.
Pro Football Focus had McKivitz down for a whopping 47 pressures and nine sacks in 573 pass blocking snaps during his first season as a starter. He also posted a 94.8 pass blocking efficiency mark, which ranked 52nd among 58 OTs with at least 580 pass blocking snaps. It was not a good showing and certainly produced questions about his long-term viability as a bookend to left tackle Trent Williams.
The 49ers were rewarded for rolling with McKivitz in 2024. His play improved dramatically, particularly in the second half of the year. He allowed 36 pressures and just two sacks in 645 pass blocking snaps. His efficiency jumped to 96.9, which ranked 27th out of 60 OTs with at least 580 pass blocking snaps.
His numbers in the second half give some credence to the theory that McKivitz just needed to find his NFL legs at his natural position. After spending his entire four-year college career at RT, the 49ers tried moving him to the interior before flipping him to left tackle when Williams was hurt. Now he’s getting to permanently stick at his most familiar spot and he’s producing.
In his first seven games last year he gave up 19 pressures, six QB hits and one sack. Over the final 11 games McKivitz allowed just 17 pressures, zero QB hits and one sack. It was a marked improvement for a player who’d struggled so mightily the year prior.
There’s a chance McKivitz plateaus in his NFL improvement and limits his market where the 49ers may be able to retain him at an affordable rate. If his ascension continues, on the other hand, McKivitz could be in for a sizable raise that annually far exceeds his career earnings of just over $9 million. If he does improve at that rate, it will put San Francisco’s offensive line in a very good spot in 2025. It may also put them in the market for a new, less expensive right tackle next offseason.
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