2026 could be the year Dominick Puni really takes off.
That might sound odd considering how strong his rookie season looked in 2024, but his follow-up year in 2025 came with some regression. A PCL injury in August didn’t help, though that was only part of the picture.
The San Francisco 49ers’ right guard has already shown enough to land on NFL.com’s offensive breakout team, where Bucky Brooks picked one player at every position he expects to make a major jump in value. Puni was the lone 49er to make the cut.
Brooks pointed to what Puni has done since entering the league:
The 2024 third-round pick has started 36 consecutive games (postseason included) in an offense that relies on his punishing skills at the point of attack. As a mauler who specializes in moving defenders off the ball, Puni is an essential piece to the 49ers’ dynamic running game. Although the heavy-handed shadow boxer must continue to improve in pass protection, San Francisco has a Pro Bowler in the making at right guard.
Puni still has two years left on his contract, with the final season coming in 2027. That gives the 49ers some time, but not a ton, to figure out whether they’re heading toward a long-term deal. In the discussion referenced above, KP noted that New York Jets center Joe Tippmann is a useful comparison for the kind of extension Puni could command right now, while Puni’s production numbers line up more closely with Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Smith.
It also fits a familiar 49ers pattern. The line has often been a headache unless Trent Williams is involved, and when the team does develop a promising blocker, the price tag can get uncomfortable fast. Aaron Banks and Mike McGlinchey are the names that come up in that conversation.
There was enough in Puni’s rookie year to notice, even before the injury entered the picture. He was charged with 21 blown blocks in the first seven weeks, then settled down after Week 8 and had only one game the rest of the way with more than three blown blocks.
If that’s tied to the knee issue, then the PCL injury may have been more significant than it first appeared.
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49ers QB Room Suddenly Faces A Bigger Question Behind Brock Purdy
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If San Francisco brings him in, he would be joining a competition that already includes Mac Jones, Adrian Martinez and Kurtis Rourke for the backup job. Plummer is also scheduled for a workout with the Dolphins next week, which gives this one a little extra urgency for the 49ers if they want to keep the quarterback picture from getting even more crowded. [Read more 🡒]