The San Francisco 49ers are staring down one massive question mark on their offensive line: left guard. After Spencer Burford and Ben Bartch dipped out in free agency, leaving the spot wide open, the Niners didn’t exactly break the bank. They brought in Brett Toth and Robert Jones on one-year deals and drafted Carver Willis. Early on, it felt like 2025 seventh-round pick Connor Colby’s job to lose, but oh man, has that narrative completely flipped on its head.
The “Job to Lose” Just Got Lost
Remember Connor Colby? The guy who got thrust into action as a rookie after an early-season injury to Bartch? Yeah, he struggled big time. He ended up getting replaced by Burford, and barely saw any snaps after Week 8. Fast forward to now, and Colby’s been bumped down to playing with the second-team offense. Brutal! This dude was the presumed starter, and now he’s gotta fight to even get reps with the ones. Instead, it’s Robert Jones and even Carver Willis, the 2026 draftee who played tackle in college, who are snagging first-team left guard snaps. Jones even landed the starting left guard spot on the team’s first unofficial depth chart. Willis, by the way, is doing all this while catching up after a concussion took away valuable practice reps. Talk about an uphill battle for Colby.
Kubiak Spills the Beans: It’s All About Consistency
So, what’s going on with this three-way battle? Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak isn’t shying away from it. He admitted there’s a “double-edged sword” when you’ve got three guys competing because you gotta divide up those crucial first-team reps. But Kubiak sees the upside, too. He believes the competition brings out the absolute best in each player. The goal? Every single day, these guys have to come out with the mindset that they gotta earn it. And you know what the biggest factor is gonna be for who takes the job? Consistency. Kubiak is straight-up looking for “guys who come off the ball and play with great technique, consistency.” He also knows that no matter who starts Week 1, they’re going to need multiple guys at that spot throughout the season because injuries are just part of playing offensive line.
So, who’s gonna lock it down for Week 1? Right now, Robert Jones is looking like the guy to beat, but Colby isn’t out of it entirely, and Carver Willis is a dark horse to watch. This heated competition will only make the whole offensive line better, which is exactly what the Niners need for the long haul.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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