Weston Richburg to sign 5-year deal with San Francisco per report

The free agency news cycle rolls on as ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that former New York Giants’ center Weston Richburg will sign a five-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers.

Richburg was (arguably) the top center in the NFL when he moved to his natural position in 2015, when he was an elite pass protector and run blocker. He kept his form as a pass protector while playing through a torn ligament in his snapping hand in 2016, but predictably his run blocking fell off with the injury and departure of powerful RG Geoff Schwartz.

His 2017 season was cut short by a concussion that landed him on injured reserve.

In Richburg’s absence, UDFA center Brett Jones emerged as a viable starter and the former Canadian League Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Lineman proved to be a capable starter in the NFL as well. Jones’ emergence makes Richburg’s departure much less painful than it otherwise would be, but it seems the Giants will watch yet another talented linemen drafted in the second round leave for another franchise.