The 49ers’ left guard race has started to shift, and the latest twist came with rookie Carver Willis returning from his concussion.
Willis was not thrown straight into the first-team mix, but he did land with the second unit at left guard right away. That move sent Connor Colby over to right guard, while Robert Jones moved up and worked with the starters.
San Francisco also brought in Doug Kramer, who is set to handle third-team center duties. The addition comes with Brett Toth banged up, and the depth chart behind center had already been moving around. Drake Nugent moved from the third unit to the second team, which left the 49ers needing another body for the third string.
Toth’s return could add another wrinkle to the guard battle, too. He has been working at center, but the 49ers may want to give him some time at guard as well. So far, none of Jones, Toth, or Willis has clearly taken the job from Colby, but Colby also hasn’t locked it down on his own.
That’s why the competition feels far from settled. Jones is the only one getting first-team work right now after Colby slid to the right side, but Willis and Toth should get more chances with the top group as things unfold.
Willis brings a different profile into the mix. He played left tackle in college, so the move inside comes with a transition, but he has the athletic traits to make it work. The 49ers have seen a similar path work before, with their current starter at right guard having been a tackle in college before kicking inside and thriving.
Jones, meanwhile, has the early edge in volume. He spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys but did not play a snap because of a neck injury. Before that, he started for the Miami Dolphins.
For now, this looks like a preseason battle that’s just getting underway.
In Other News...
49ers Suddenly Have A Backfield Problem They Can't Ignore
The 49ers are looking hard at their backfield depth as injuries force the team to take a closer look at outside help. San Francisco has held workouts and visits for veteran running backs Nyheim Miller-Hines, Zamir White and Blake Watson as the club tries to stabilize a position group that has been thinned out heading into preseason work.
Christian McCaffrey has been sidelined with tightness, and Jordan James, Kaelon Black and Isaac Guerendo are also out or limited, leaving the 49ers with very little certainty behind the starters. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said injuries can create chances for other players to step up, but the teams current roster evaluations suggest the front office is not waiting around to see if the depth problem solves itself. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Depth Chart Already Reveals A Few Early Camp Surprises
The first unofficial depth chart for the preseason opener against the Titans offered an early look at how the 49ers are sorting through a roster that still has a few jobs up for grabs. The starting group looks largely the same as last season, but the real intrigue sits beneath it, where rookies and backups are beginning to separate themselves in the competition for roster spots and roles.
A few of the placements stood out right away, including Connor Colby not opening at left guard, a shared backup running back spot, and Robinson showing up as the third receiver. None of it is final at this stage of camp, of course, but the chart does give a glimpse into how San Francisco is viewing the early pecking order while the preseason gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Moody Is Reminding 49ers Fans Of One Frustrating Problem
Jake Moodys path since leaving San Francisco has been a reminder of why his next stop always felt like a prove-it stage. The former 49ers kicker is now competing with Drew Stevens for Washingtons placekicking job, and the battle has come with the same uneven feel that shadowed his time in the Bay Area. Even after a stint on the Bears practice squad and his arrival on Washingtons active roster, the conversation around Moody keeps circling back to the same thing: the talent is there, but the consistency has not always followed.
For 49ers fans, it is a familiar frustration rather than a surprise. Moody has shown he can deliver in game settings, but his career has been marked by stretches that leave teams wondering what version they are getting next. Washington is hoping the competition sharpens him, yet the ongoing kicking battle suggests there is still plenty unresolved about whether he can turn promise into something steadier. [Read more 🡒]