Joe

Looney

Looney, 30, just signed with the Giants over the weekend, but three days of practice and one in pads was enough for him to call it quits on his career. He was expected to be in the mix for a starting job along the Giants’ interior line. Looney appeared in 104 career games, starting 42, playing three seasons with the 49ers, one with the Titans, and his final five with the Cowboys.

Looney played 11 games at center for the Cowboys in 2020 and one game at left guard. Giants starting left guard Shane Lemieux was carted off the field Thursday with a knee injury. Lemieux appears to have avoided any major damage, but his outlook is still unclear. Looney adds much needed offensive line depth.

While returning any starter to the active roster is a positive, this is like placing a band-aid on a crumbling dam. The Cowboys’ offensive line remains one of the league-worst and now will have a third-string quarterback starting behind it against a talent-filled Eagles’ defensive line.

Looney suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain on Dallas’ first offensive play against the Browns. He’ll be replaced by rookie Tyler Biadasz, who logged 81-of-82 snaps in the team’s Week 4 loss, moving forward. Right tackle Terence Steele was also benched in favor of Brandon Knight in that game.

It’s a disastrous situation for the Cowboys as UDFA RT Terence Steele was also benched mid-game in favor of Brandon Knight. Rookie Tyler Biadasz will continue playing for Looney in the interim.

Looney was injured on Dallas’ first play from scrimmage. He’ll be replaced by rookie Tyler Biadasz.

This was expected coming off a limited offseason. The Cowboys view Tyler Biadasz as their Travis Frederick replacement, but this is Looney’s job to lose after holding his own when Frederick was out in 2018. Looney looks like the favorite to start Week 1.

With Travis Frederick back from his illness last season, Looney started just one game after starting all 16 the previous year. He is a fine backup option along the interior and good locker-room guy.

San Francisco surrendered the No. 125 and No. 196 picks. Looney fills a need for the Niners, and should compete with Daniel Kilgore to be the starting right guard in training camp. Looney played mostly left guard at Wake Forest, but moves well for his size (6-foot-3, 309), and should hold his own in run blocking as a rookie. He needs to improve as a pass blocker, however.

“We believe he’ll be a starter for us,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. The 49ers surrendered a sixth-round pick to trade up eight spots for Looney, a left guard at Wake Forest. A decent run blocker, he’ll have the edge over Daniel Kilgore as long as he can hold his own in pass protection.