San Francisco’s left guard spot is still up for grabs, and the 49ers aren’t pretending otherwise.
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak made that clear after Monday’s practice, where Connor Colby had opened camp with the first team before Robert Jones took over the spot in the following work. Kubiak called it “definitely still an open competition. Those guys are going to compete all camp.”
He added that both Colby and Jones are expected to get plenty of run in the preseason, saying they’ll play “a lot” and let the competition sort itself out from there. Kubiak also pushed back on the idea that Colby’s early first-team work meant anything permanent, noting, “it’s no slight on Connor” and “I don’t think we said, ‘whoever is in there the first day is going to take it all the way.’”
Carver Willis has also been working in the mix with the second team at left guard, though Kubiak didn’t bring him up when discussing the battle. For now, it looks like the job is still being sorted out between Jones and Colby, with Willis waiting in the wings.
On the other side of the ball, Marques Sigle is starting to look like a real fixture at safety. With Malik Mustapha sidelined, Sigle and Ji’Ayir Brown have been handling the work in a rotation, and the second-year defender sounded comfortable with the direction of the defense under Raheem Morris.
“He’s allowing us to be more aggressive, play to our skill set.”
“It’s making us not think and allowing us to be playmakers. I feel like that’s better for us. We have the type of guys to go out and play and not react.”
Sigle also said the break in the middle of the season before he returned for the Eagles game gave him time to figure out what needed cleaning up. His self-scouting matched what showed up on tape: “I feel like I was in the right spot, but had to make the play. So that mindset in practice and in film study is to be one step ahead instead of one step behind.”
He’s also added size this offseason, putting on 8 to 10 pounds since the end of last season. Sigle said that was intentional, explaining: “I just felt it was better for my skill set, and being more of a true safety.
Just for blocks, dealing with tight ends, being more physical. And be at a weight where I can still keep my speed.”
One of his biggest points of emphasis was sharpening how he gets in and out of his breaks. Sigle said he’s been borrowing pieces from teammates all summer, pulling traits from Renardo Green, D-Mo, Ji’Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha as part of that process.
“RG[Renardo Green], just how he plays man and how aggressive he is. D-Mo, just how smart he is with the break points.
Ji’Ayir Brown, just how he gets out of his breaks in the post. Malik Mustapha, just how he’s in and out of his breaks.
Throughout the whole offseason, I just took one piece from each guy.”
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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 🡒]