Brock Purdy needs more protection in 2026.
The San Francisco 49ers are set to hire a position coach who can help quarterback Brock Purdy stay upright and healthy all season.
Angel Matute is expected to join the offensive coaching staff for the 49ers, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz on Thursday. Matute coached the offensive line at Kent State and helped the Golden Flashes blockers improve in both run and pass protection.
KSU cut sacks allowed by 16 last season from the year before. The Golden Flashes tallied 20 more yards rushing per game in 2025, as Zenitz noted on both. While Zenitz didn’t specify Matute’s new role, the 49ers moved Cameron Clemmons from assistant offensive line coach to tight ends coach this week. Chris Foerster is still the offensive line coach.
Matute could help the 49ers offensive line improve after giving up 27 sacks last season. Purdy took 11 of those and missed eight games due to injury. Backup quarterback Mac Jones took 16 sacks in place of Purdy for eight games.
While 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey had another 1,000-yard season, it didn’t come easy amid 3.9 yards per carry. If Matute can help the offensive line improve in run protection, that average could go up in 2026.
Angel Matute’s Journey Leads Back to 49ers
Matute has been with the 49ers before as a participant in the organization’s Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship in 2024.
Before that, Matute’s coaching career began when he served as an offensive assistant for Missouri in 2021. , where he played before a medical retirement from playing. Matute then joined the Minnesota Golden Gophers as a graduate assistant from 2022 to 2023, and he spent the 2024 season with Purdue as the Boilermakers’ offensive line assistant coach. He joined Kent State last year.
Matute came from Rancho Cucamonga, California, where he played quarterback in high school, He converted to tight end in college at Golden West College and then offensive line at Mt. San Antonio College before he transferred to Missouri.
49ers Have Big Needs With Offensive Line
The 49ers have a critical offseason for the offensive line with the chance to do a contract extension for offensive tackle Trent Williams and add more talent.
A three-time first team All-Pro, Williams has been a key part of the offensive line for years, and he keeps Purdy protected on the left side, plus majorly helps on run blocking. Williams has a three-year, $82.66 million deal that has one season left.
The 49ers could also upgrade at center this offseason by going after Tyler Linderbaum in free agency. A three-time Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens, Linderbaum could boost pass protection and give the 49ers stability on the offensive line for years to come at age 25. That said, Linderbaum won’t be cheap to sign after a four-year, $13.23 million deal in Baltimore.
Regardless, the 49ers will need to spend and find ways to improve the offensive line this offseason to give Purdy a clean pocket this fall and help McCaffrey rack up the yards more quickly. The 49ers will see two tough defensive fronts twice in the regular season with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West, which adds to the urgency for the Niners to shore up the offensive line soon.
Matthew Davis covers the NFL, WNBA and college sports for Heavy.com. As a contributing writer to the StarTribune, he has also covered Minnesota prep sports since 2016. More about Matthew Davis
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