The San Francisco 49ers can’t seem to shake the injury bug. According to reporters on hand for Tuesday’s practice, starting left guard Ben Bartch exited early with an apparent injury to his right arm or elbow.
Nick Zakelj had been Bartch’s primary backup. Zakelj was listed under our losers section after Week 1 of the preseason. It was rookie Connor Colby, not Zakelj, who took over for Bartch. Zakelj was relegated to playing right guard with the second team and mixed in some snaps with the third team at center.
The 49ers putting the amount of faith they are into a player with an extensive history in Bartch was always risky. If Bartch is perpetually dinged up during the offseason — he hurt himself in July lifting weights — then it might be wise to get a player like Colby ready to play.
The 49ers had success starting a rookie last season in Dominick Puni, but there’s a significant difference in a third and seventh-round draft pick. However, like Puni, Colby comes with plenty of collegiate experience. Colby started 50 games during his four-year career at Iowa. He played left guard, right guard, and right tackle.
Colby looked like he belonged in 41 preseason snaps. There weren’t any examples of “bad” reps, which is all the 49ers will ask of their left guard.
Speaking of former Hawkeyes, Brandon Scherff is a free agent. The 10-year vet and former No. 5 overall pick played over 1,000 snaps and started 17 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. But this isn’t Madden, and Scherff spent his career playing right guard.
The 49ers could give Jon Feliciano a ring if Bartch’s injury ends up being serious. Feliciano is familiar with Kyle Shanahan’s system and could contribute sooner than any street free agent.
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