49ers News: OT Mike McGlinchey to Undergo Scope on Knee Injury; out 4-6 Weeks

San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey will undergo a knee scope and be out four to six weeks, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed to reporters on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old was the second offensive lineman off the board in the 2018 NFL draft when the 49ers selected him with the ninth overall pick.

The former Notre Dame star is the heir apparent to six-time Pro Bowler Joe Staley, who turned 35 in August and is under contract through 2021. Although McGlinchey stayed on the right side of the line when Staley suffered a fractured fibula in San Francisco's Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he will be the obvious choice to replace Staley at left tackle when he retires or his current deal ends.

McGlinchey lived up to the hype in his first year, with Pro Football Focus naming him to its All-Rookie team: "No rookie tackle was more dominant with his run-blocking than McGlinchey this season, consistently moving defenders off the point of attack. He was impressive enough as a run blocker in 2018 to even outweigh the fact that he allowed 40 pressures from his right tackle spot for San Francisco."

McGlinchey's injury will create a big void on the 49ers' line, especially with Staley out as well. That's in addition to fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who is out for four to six weeks with a sprained MCL.

San Francisco's league-leading ground game is bound to take a step backward with so many key pieces unavailable.