With the retirement of Justin Smith now official, it is time to consider just how the San Francisco 49ers plan on replacing the “Cowboy,” and the player who has been the anchor of the 49ers’ offensive line for the past seven seasons. As new head coach and former defensive line coach Jim Tomsula said, “Justin Smith got me a pay raise.” The 5 time Pro Bowler played his heart out each and every game and was an inspiration to his teammates, us fans, and anyone who values good, solid, hard work.
According to Coach Tomsula, who knows the defensive line as well as anyone, the key to replacing Smith will be versatility.