The San Francisco 49ers prepare for their final exhibition game after thrashing the Los Angeles Chargers last week. Some veterans have returned to practice after nagging injuries, while a few position battles continue to ramp up.
Kaelon Black looks as though he is set as the backup running back over Jordan James. The third linebacker is a toss-up, mainly between Jaden Dugger and Larry Worth, each commanding early preseason playing time. And while safety remains a position in flux, as evidenced by the joint practices with the Chargers, one position remains a massive question mark: left guard.
With 24 starts at left guard in his career, including all 17 games with Miami last season, Robert Jones is in the mix. He sat out with a calf injury, but did play against Tennessee. Jones lacked discipline with a holding penalty, and while the run blocking was respectable, pass protection needed work. Jones's availability this week is unknown but will be critical to his potential starting prospects.
Connor Colby played at both guard spots in each preseason game. Much like Jones, Colby held his own in the run game but struggled in pass protection. Keeping the pocket clean, minimizing pressure, and moving the opposition at the line of scrimmage all have room for improvement for Colby, who played 13 games last year, including six starts at left guard.
The guard candidate who made an impression was rookie Carver Willis. While the five combined pressures allowed was less than stellar, Willis's physical traits (6'5", 300+ lbs.) are there as a possible future staple of the offensive line. He needs to show consistency in pass protection against quick interior rushers, but the agility, lateral movement, run blocking, and overall upside are there, with repetition.
With the Raiders coming up this week, the candidate who shows out the most or makes the fewest mistakes will likely win the job. There are veterans and talent everywhere on this 49ers roster, but until consistency is shown, left guard remains an issue.
Mentioned in this article: Kaelon Black, Connor Colby, Jaden Dugger, Jordan James, Carver Willis
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