The Chargers are continuing to churn through the bargain bin section of free agency and their latest target is former 49ers offensive guard Spencer Burford. Burford spent four seasons in San Francisco, starting 38 games, and has experience in a similar offensive system that Mike McDaniel will be running in Los Angeles.
Buford, a former fourth-round pick of the Niners out of UTSA, was viewed as an athletic guard/tackle prospect with elite arm length who played with a high motor. He started 29 games over his first two seasons and most recently started 11 games in 2025 after injuries hit the 49ers offensive line.
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Per Pro Football Focus, Burford finished the 2025 season with an overall grade of 58.9 which ranked 49th out of 81 qualifying guards. He was much better in the run game than in pass protection as he posted 62.6 run block grade (43rd) compared to a 48.5 in pass blocking (70th). He also allowed 31 pressures with two sacks and was called for two penalties all year.
On the face, Burford is a good fit for McDaniels’ offense. At the same time, he is not much of an upgrade along the interior compared to how much money the Chargers have still to spend on free agency. There are better guards left on the market, but are they the right fit? Is McDaniels’ offense truly reliant on a specific type of guard and/or is able to scheme out their shortcomings?
Only time will tell, but no one can blame the Chargers fan base for feeling quite underwhelmed up to this point.