It doesn’t sound like 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey is going to be back. The former first-round pick is set to become a free agent next week, and implied that he expects to be going elsewhere.
“I’ll be back at home in the Bay on Sunday night and then [McGlinchey’s wife] Brooke and I will be waiting by the phone to hear what happens,” McGlinchey said. “We got a lot of intel coming off the week at the combine and all that stuff of what’s going on and what we can expect to happen. Once Monday hits, I’ll have a pretty quick decision to make and hopefully be signed by the first day of free agency.”
John Lynch said earlier this offseason that he expected the 49ers would be priced out of re-signing McGlinchey. Though not considered an elite player, McGlinchey is expected to garner a deal worth around $15 million per year, which is likely too rich for San Francisco’s blood.
McGlinchey says he already spoke with the 49ers about the situation.
“Obviously it’s something that was expected. The writing was kind of on the wall a little bit in that regard. John and Kyle both had conversations with me before I left the building. It was something we all kind of expected. It’s definitely a tough deal. We have a lot of great players in the 49ers organization which is why we’ve been good for the last five years, and it makes it hard to afford everybody.
“We have a Hall of Fame, and maybe greatest to play the the tackle position on our team already, it’s hard to imagine them paying top dollar for both.”
McGlinchey said that entering free agency is equal parts exciting and stressful. It’s every players dream to hit the open market and get a payday that will give financial security for generations. Still, it’s difficult to leave the team that drafted you.
“I’m extremely fond of the time I’ve had there,” McGlinchey said. “The Niners are a first class organization all the way. I believe that the York family is one of the top ownership groups in football. I’m very thankful to have had the opportunity to have played for them and thankful for John and Kyle for giving me my shot in the league. The Niners have one of the best support staffs I’ve ever been around.
“People who are like family to me now and a lot of my best friends are in the locker room. On top of it, I wouldn’t have met my wife if I didn’t get drafted by the 49ers. It all worked out in a great way. It’s been my home for the last five years in the Bay, will remain my home, but might have to take a six month hiatus each year for the next couple.”
Regarding what’s next, McGlinchey said that if a team offers an extremely lucrative deal, it will be hard to turn down. However, if there are number of teams competing for his services, he’ll weigh other factors.
“Well you certainly have to weigh all the pros and cons,” McGlinchey said. “Obviously money is a huge factor. If one team kind of blows everybody else out of the water, it’s going to be really hard to walk away from that much more money per year or total contract or whatever it is. Certainly a culture, or winning situation, is something I would like to do. Obviously most of the time when teams are in the free agent market for big money, it’s usually a team that hasn’t been doing so well. So you’ve got to navigate the ones you believe in that have a future, and you think you could maybe be a part of building something in the future, just like I was when I got to the 49ers.”
Finally, McGlinchey closed with a farewell.
“It’s been as fun for me as it has been for everybody else,” McGlinchey concluded. “My family and I are forever grateful for the Faithful, the Yorks, John and Kyle, everybody in there. It’s been a hell of a ride and if this is it, I just want to say thank you to everyone.”
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