For all the noise around the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive line over the years, this season has offered a pretty direct answer: Brock Purdy has gone four games without taking a sack, and that alone goes a long way toward validating how the team handled the unit in the offseason.
That mattered because the criticism came fast after general manager John Lynch and the front office took a restrained approach. They drafted two offensive linemen later in the draft and made only modest free-agent additions for depth, and plenty of fans saw that as a reason to worry. Four weeks in, though, the results point the other way.
The bigger story is that this hasn’t been about one lineman carrying the group. It’s been a full front-five effort, with each player doing his part. Trent Williams remains the anchor at left tackle, and he’s been so impressed with Colton McKivitz that he said the two of them make up the best offensive tackle duo in the NFL.
McKivitz, who has taken his share of heat from fans in the past, has backed that up on the field. Right guard Dominick Puni has also looked far better than he did in 2025 while dealing with an injury, more like the player who turned heads during his rookie season in 2024.
Center Jake Brendel has been solid as well, even adding a reception this year. When an offensive line has more catches than sacks allowed, that’s usually a pretty good sign the protection is holding up.
Left guard Connor Colby has fit in nicely too. The position had been a real question mark for some fans, and the starter wasn’t even fully settled after the preseason. But the second-year lineman has handled the job well, and in Week 4 he flashed some mobility by blocking downfield for fellow Hawkeye George Kittle on Kittle’s touchdown catch.
None of this means the line is above scrutiny forever. There’s still a matchup with the Seattle Seahawks coming Sunday, and any weakness up front could be exposed there. But through four weeks, the 49ers have every reason to feel good about the way they built and coached this group.
If the front five stays healthy and keeps giving Purdy a clean pocket, the payoff is obvious. He can be dangerous when he has time to throw.
In Other News...
49ers Got The Kyle Juszczyk Injury News They Desperately Needed
Kyle Juszczyks knee injury looked far worse in the moment, but the 49ers avoided the kind of outcome that can reshape a season. The Pro Bowl fullback was hurt against the Broncos and later learned the MRI showed no ligament damage, easing fears around a play that had plenty of people bracing for a longer absence.
Juszczyk is still expected to miss two to three weeks after suffering a hyperextended knee, capsule sprain and minor bone bruise, which likely rules him out for the Seahawks game. Even so, the door is open for a return before the end of October, a useful bit of news for a San Francisco offense that leans on his versatility and physical presence in the run game and around the goal line. [Read more 🡒]
John Lynch Could Have One More Aggressive Move In Mind
The 49ers have been surviving the kind of stretch that tends to test a rosters depth as much as its talent, stacking wins even while dealing with injuries that have complicated the week-to-week picture. That kind of success can make a front office hesitate, but it can also sharpen the sense that the current group is close enough to justify a little more help before the season gets much deeper.
With the November 10 trade deadline looming, John Lynch could still have one aggressive move left to make if he decides the run should be supported rather than merely managed. The names tied to that conversation point in a few different directions, from defensive tackle Daron Payne to wide receiver Quentin Johnston to edge rushers Za'Darius Smith and Khalil Mack, which says plenty about the range of ways San Francisco could try to bolster itself without waiting for the market to come to it. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Injury Report Brings Early Concern And One Intriguing Possibility
The first Week 5 practice brought an early dose of concern for San Francisco, with five players sitting out as the 49ers started preparing for Seattle. Nick Bosa, James Thompson, Kyle Juszczyk, Marques Sigle, and Upton Stout were all absent, while Mykel Williams, Mike Evans and Kaelon Black took part on a limited basis as the team tried to sort through an injury list that already had some familiar names on it.
Williams is the most intriguing piece of the group, since a return to the field could be on the table after he worked his way back from injury. Coach Kyle Shanahan also said Stout is day-to-day with a shoulder issue, which at least gives the 49ers some reason to keep a close eye on the week rather than assume the early absences will define it. [Read more 🡒]