The 49ers didn’t exactly make a splash when they added Brett Toth this offseason, but the move may end up mattering more than it first looked.
Toth, a former Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman, arrived in San Francisco on a one-year deal worth up to $2.5 million, with $2.215 million guaranteed, according to Spotrac. That kind of guarantee makes one thing pretty clear: the 49ers are not paying him to disappear before Week 1. Barring something unexpected, he should be on the 53-man roster.
That’s the easy part. Figuring out where he fits is the real question.
Toth’s appeal is built on flexibility. Philadelphia used the 29-year-old in reserve roles all over the line, with snaps at both tackle spots and across the three interior positions.
That kind of versatility is exactly the sort of trait that can keep a lineman around, especially for a team that values players who can cover multiple jobs. It also brings to mind how the 49ers once leaned on Daniel Brunskill.
There are several paths to a role for Toth once camp and the preseason sort things out. He could get a look in the battle for the starting left guard job, where Robert Jones, Connor Colby and rookie Carver Willis are among the names in the mix. He could also be part of the swing tackle discussion, though Vederian Lowe and rookie Enrique Cruz Jr. are in that fight as well.
Another possibility is that Toth becomes the primary backup to center Jake Brendel. That would fill a hole on the depth chart, since the 49ers do not currently have a true No. 2 center listed. If Toth can handle that job, it would only strengthen the case for his value to the roster.
However it shakes out, the selling point is obvious: Toth can help in a pinch, and he can help in more than one place. He may not project as an above-average starter, especially at tackle, but he’s serviceable enough to absorb meaningful snaps on the interior and can slide outside when needed.
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