If Alex Mack elects to retire, are the 49ers in trouble? We ran into something similar a couple of seasons ago when Joe Staley abruptly retired the week of the NFL Draft. Then, the following Saturday, an All-Pro fell into the team’s lap.
History would suggest that Kyle Shanahan isn’t going to rely on a rookie center. First, the team gave Weston Richburg a hefty contract. Then, when that didn’t work out, they signed Mack last offseason. Why? Because, in this offense, there’s a lot on the center’s plate. He has to make all of the pre-snap calls.