The San Francisco 49ers entered the 2023 season with a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft as their projected starter at right tackle. That’s because their first-round pick in 2018 signed a substantial offer with the Denver Broncos in free agency.
The transition from Mike McGlinchey to Colton McKivitz was unknown. The Niners were optimistic, aiming to extract 75 to 80 percent of McGlinchey's performance from McKivitz while managing a contract that was 75 to 80 percent of McGlinchey’s.
It worked if we judged this plan based on the team’s results.