The 49ers might need some help on their offensive line. While a trade could still be on the table a la the Laken Tomlinson acquisition prior to the 2017 season, they brought in veteran OL John Miller for a workout per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Miller, 29, has been in the NFL for seven seasons. He was initially a member of the Bills for four seasons after they took him in the third round of the 2015 draft. From there he spent a season in Cincinnati and then joined Carolina for the last two years.
In those seven seasons Miller has started all 84 games he’s played.
Whether he represents an upgrade over Aaron Banks, Jason Poe or any other potential interior offensive lineman on the 49ers’ 80-man roster is certainly worth questioning. Only three times in his career has Miller earned a Pro Football Focus overall grade higher than their league-average mark of 60.0.
He struggled particularly bad with the Panthers. In two seasons there he earned overall grades of 61.2 and 52.1, and he’s excelled neither in pass protection nor in the run game.
Perhaps the 49ers would prefer a veteran on their relatively inexperienced offensive line. That’s an area Miller can definitely add value.
There’s no signing yet, and San Francisco may want to work out a couple more offensive linemen first before making any moves. They may also wait until final cuts to see if any interior OL come available that they think can help the club.
