Through five weeks of 2026, the biggest surprise for the San Francisco 49ers might be the group in front of Brock Purdy. That offensive line has gone from a talking point to one of the team’s best stories, and the numbers back it up.
Kyle Shanahan made it clear during a training camp press conference that he had never quite understood the “hate” the line received. That comment feels a lot more pointed now.
The 49ers have stayed the course, and Shanahan, offensive line coach Chris Foerster and the organization have earned credit for trusting the plan. Even with Connor Colby at left guard, the unit has shown real continuity and started to click as a five-man group.
At this point, it looks like a top-five offensive line. It’s hard to make a strong case against that.
Football Insights’ pressure responsibility numbers tell part of the story across the five positions: 11.6% for Trent Williams, 32.6% for Connor Colby, 11.6% for Jake Brendel, 14% for Dominick Puni, 18.6% for Colton McKivitz, 16.3% for Brock Purdy and 7% for blocking tight ends and blitz pickups. Williams sits in the very good category, while the rest are above average except Colby, whose number is inflated by Byron Murphy on Sunday. Colby has been solid this season, but that game changed the look of his metric in a big way.
The streaks are eye-opening, too. The five offensive linemen with the longest snap streak without allowing a sack are listed as follows:
Brendel hasn’t allowed a sack since Week 16 of 2024, which is a wild run no matter how you slice it.
That kind of production also cuts against the idea that the 49ers haven’t invested in the line. They have, just not in the first-round-pick way people often want to see.
Puni and McKivitz were drafted and developed. Colby was drafted and still has room to grow.
Williams came over in one of the best trades in franchise history. Brendel was a free-agent signing.
So yes, the 49ers are investing in the offensive line. They’ve simply done it differently than the usual draft-heavy blueprint.
Purdy was finally sacked for the first time, and Seattle’s defensive line is excellent, but his pocket movement and ability to escape have also helped this group hold up. Still, there’s no ignoring how well the line has played so far in 2026.
Offensive line development is never simple. Some players have all the traits and still fail.
Others keep working and become plus starters. For now, the 49ers’ approach is paying off, and if it keeps going, they’ll have a real shot to ride it deep into January.
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Eddy Pineiro has been part of that conversation, with his struggles creating a real sense that one shaky night could put the unbeaten start in danger. There are other ways the first loss could arrive, of course, but the uncertainty around the kicking game has become the clearest vulnerability for a team that otherwise has handled its business well. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Finally Got A Major Break In Keion White Shooting Case
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The arrests mark the clearest progress yet in a case that has lingered since winter, with investigators still piecing together the roles of the men accused. For the 49ers, it is at least a significant step forward in a matter that had hovered in the background for far too long, though plenty of questions around the full scope of the incident remain unanswered. [Read more 🡒]