There’s movement in the training camp battle for the San Francisco 49ers’ starting left guard spot.
The last time we checked in with the starting offensive line it was second-year seventh-round pick Connor Colby working with the first team. In fact, the job was his to lose according to offensive line coach Chris Foerster, who is the acting head coach while Kyle Shanahan recovers from a concussion.
Wednesday’s practice offered a glimpse that Colby’s grip could be slipping on the starting spot next to left tackle Trent Williams. Veteran Robert Jones was up with the first team along the offensive line in Wednesday’s session, which was part of the plan for that spot according to Foerster. A slew of injuries got in the way of additional movement around the offensive front as the 49ers close in on their preseason opener.
“The plan was, before we finished the last one, was give (Jones) some left guard work, see him against different people,” Foerster told reporters in a press conference. “I wanted to give Connor some work at right guard and I was going to split [rookie OL] Carver [Willis] and Rob at the left guard spot. That was the plan. Carver is in concussion protocol. Then [OL Brett] Toth gets hurt, so there’s just some options. I still let Rob get that role. I was going to do a lot more interior-wise, so it wouldn’t just look like it was flipping the two guys, but it didn’t work out with the injuries. So, still getting Rob, see him against some different people, see Connor with the different matchups as well. But I had a lot more in store than that, unfortunately. I mean, big O-line news right there, but that’s about as far as it went.”
This is one of very few starting jobs up for grabs on offense for the 49ers so we’ll be keeping a close eye on how it shakes out. For now it sounds like Jones and Colby are the top two candidates at left guard, but it’ll be worth following whether we see additional entrants into the race once Willis and Toth are back in practice.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers key position battle ramps up with new starter in training camp
Reporting by Kyle Madson, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
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By Kyle Madson, Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
