For over a decade, Joe Staley was the one constant for the 49ers through a myriad of coaching and executive turnover. He spent 12 of his 13 seasons manning the blindside for quarterbacks from Shaun Hill to Jimmy Garoppolo.
General manager John Lynch made a big splash to try and fill the void left after Staley’s retirement during the NFL draft, as the Niners acquired Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams from Washington for a pair of draft picks. While Staley was one of the league’s best tackles for many years, those who have been around both players are confident the 49ers’ got an upgrade in Williams.