Weston Richburg sounds more like a character in a Richie Rich comic book than a beefy but athletic NFL lineman. But he was the top free agent center available this year, and GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan pounced on him with a contract almost identical to the one that Atlanta gave to five-time Pro Bowler Alex Mack two years ago (when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator there).
This dramatic move is not without risk, though. Is Richburg a poor man’s Alex Mack? Shanahan clearly thinks so, but is this just what he wants the guy to be, as opposed to what an unbiased talent evaluator would say?