The 49ers still don’t have a clean answer at left guard, and time is starting to work against them.
No one has taken command of the job. Robert Jones is getting the starting reps now, with rookie Carver Willis in the mix, after Connor Colby had been the main name there before. That shuffle says plenty on its own: the 49ers are still trying to figure out who gives them the best play at the spot.
“We’re looking for consistency. We're looking for guys who come off the ball and play with great technique, consistency,” said offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak.
"No matter who ends up starting Week One, we're going to need multiple guys in that spot. We always have.
Whether it's injuries or guys needing a rotation, that's just the nature of playing offensive line.”
That leaves open a possibility the answer might not even be on the roster right now. But if the 49ers do head into the regular season with this group, the most likely solution is one they’ve used before: a platoon.
In other words, they could rotate players at left guard during games instead of handing the job to one man and leaving it there. It’s not the norm on the offensive line, where most starters stay out for the full game, but it’s a path the 49ers have taken before. They last did it in 2023, and they also used a similar setup at right guard in 2022.
That kind of rotation could serve two purposes. It would give the 49ers a way to keep defenses guessing, and it would help them keep sorting out which player really deserves the role. If they don’t add anyone else in free agency or after roster cuts, that approach becomes even more likely.
For now, the job remains unsettled. The 49ers don’t appear ready to lock in one left guard with full confidence, and the clearest sign of that is the constant movement in the reps.
If one of the two best options plays better, he’ll get the edge. If he falters, the other one gets his turn.
It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s one the 49ers have used before. And that may be exactly why they’re prepared to do it again.
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There is always some hope this is simply the 49ers being careful with a star they want available when it matters most, especially given McCaffreys injury history and the pounding he has taken in recent seasons. But until he is back on the field, the uncertainty hangs over everything, with fans and observers left to wonder whether this is routine maintenance or something more concerning. [Read more 🡒]