Tag: spencer burford

49ers OL suffers another big blow after starter ruled out

San Francisco was dealt another blow up front as one of its offensive line starters was ruled out vs. the Chicago Bears.

The San Francisco 49ers‘ injury concerns up front continued on Sunday during the team’s Week 14 date against the Chicago Bears (4-8).

Thrust into a starting role, left guard Ben Bartch exited San Francisco’s contest on Sunday midway through the first quarter with an ankle injury.

After initially being listed as questionable to return, Bartch was officially ruled out by the 49ers. Bartch stepped in for left guard Aaron Banks who remained sidelined with a concussion.

Bartch was replaced by Spencer Burford. The third-year pro served as the 49ers’ starting right guard over each of the past two seasons.

In addition to Banks and Bartch being sidelined, longtime star left tackle Trent Williams missed his third straight game with a left ankle injury of his own.

Minus its two starting cogs on the left side of its offensive line and its starting left guard today, the San Francisco 49ers still managed to put together an explosive first half against the Bears.

San Francisco (5-7) racked up 319 yards of total offense, 254 passing yards, 14 first downs and averaged 8.6 yards per play in the first half against the Bears.

The 49ers led 24-0 at halftime and are seeking to snap a current three-game losing streak.

49ers starting LG leaves game vs. Bears in 1st quarter

The 49ers’ starting left guard exited San Francisco’s Sunday battle against the Chicago Bears.

The San Francisco 49ers’ injury concerns on the left side of its offensive line continued early on during Sunday’s contest against Chicago.

Thrust into the lineup as the 49ers’ starting left guard, fifth-year pro Ben Bartch exited San Francisco’s Sunday date against Chicago with an ankle injury. Bartch was taken straight into the blue tent for further examination.

ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reported that Bartch is questionable to return.

Bartch had been inserted into the lineup as the 49ers’ starting left guard because fourth-year offensive guard Aaron Banks continues to recover from a concussion.

Spencer Burford replaced Bartch at left guard. Burford was San Francisco’s starting right guard each of the past two seasons.

Bartch exited with San Francisco (5-7) in possession of an early 7-0 lead over Chicago (4-8).

San Francisco capped its opening drive of the contest with a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brock Purdy to wide receiver Jauan Jennings. That was the finishing touches on a 5-play, 70-yard touchdown drive.

Are 49ers preparing for change to starting offensive line?

The 49ers may have change coming on their OL with one player changing positions.

The San Francisco 49ers may be gearing up to try something a little different along their offensive line.

Going into the offseason it was clear the 49ers needed to at bare minimum add competition for the right side of the offensive front. Right guard was a rotating cast of players last season, while right tackle was a clear weak spot.

They added right guard help in the third round of this year’s draft when they selected Kansas offensive lineman Dominick Puni. He won the starting right guard spot out of camp and has acquitted himself well through three games.

At right tackle they brought in some veterans like Chris Hubbard and Brandon Parker, but neither really pushed incumbent right tackle Colton McKivitz for a starting job. It appears that competition may now be coming for the bookend opposite Trent Williams.

Offensive line coach Chris Foerster was asked in his Thursday press conference whether swing tackle Jaylon Moore played on the right side at all. He indicated that Moore does work on that side, but then he indicated another interior offensive lineman is moving to tackle.

“He gets a little work the right side,” Foerster said of Moore. “He’s been getting work since the start of the season. Wednesdays, Trent is usually off, and then Thursdays he’s back at practice, so he’s able to get a little bit more work at both tackles. As is, we’re working Spencer Burford to tackle as well.”

This is an intriguing development since Burford exclusively played guard for the 49ers since they selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. However, he played all over the offensive line in college and logged more than 20 starts at either right or left tackle.

It’s not out of the question that San Francisco would make a mid-season change on the OL. They’ve done it at right guard in each of the last two years by rotating players in with Burford who started at that spot his first two seasons.

McKivitz would be the logical choice to replace. He’s allowed a team-worst 13 pressures, one sack, and half of the six quarterback hits the offensive line has allowed through three games per Pro Football Focus.

Keeping quarterback Brock Purdy upright and healthy is going to be vital to the 49ers overcoming the bombardment of injuries that’ve hit them this season, and making a change on the offensive line may be necessary to ensure that happens.

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Are 49ers repeating last year’s mistake on the offensive line?

So far there’s no competition at right guard for the 49ers which is … interesting.

It appears through the first two days of training camp that the 49ers might be repeating a mistake they made last season.

San Francisco in training camp last year handed starting jobs to right guard Spencer Burford and right tackle Colton McKivitz. They both had to play well enough too keep the starting spots, but they were never really pushed with other players rotating in and getting chances with the first team.

In the first two days of camp this year they’ve apparently exercised the same strategy. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner noted on Twitter that Burford has been the lone RG with the first team for both sessions:

If the Niners intend to rotate Spencer Burford and Jon Feliciano at RG, they haven’t yet shown it. It’s been Burford with the starters so far at RG. Feliciano has worked at center (even a few snaps with the 1s) and RG, which tracks because he is the backup center.

As Wagoner notes, the team may have confidence in Feliciano since he finished the year last year as the starting RG. They could be giving Burford extra reps as his initial chance to try and win that spot. Rookie Dominick Puni should also be a factor at RG and they may still be acclimating him to the NFL before launching into first-team reps. That would make sense since offensive line play in camp is hard to judge until pads are on anyway.

What wouldn’t make sense if for the second year in a row they didn’t offer any real competition for Burford. Perhaps he steps in this year and takes a leap. That’s on the table. He’s not a bad player, but his inability to hold a starting job each of his first two years is certainly a concern. The 49ers have to exhaust all options when finding their five best offensive linemen, and rolling into 2024 without at least testing out the right guard competition would be a mistake.

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49ers starting RG spot uncertain heading into playoffs

The #49ers aren’t sure who’s starting at RG in the playoffs. That may not matter … but it also may matter a lot:

The 49ers are almost fully healthy heading into their divisional playoff matchup vs. the Green Bay Packers, but they’ve not yet decided what their starting offensive line is going to look like.

Offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Foerster on Wednesday indicated there’s some uncertainty on the offensive front with who is going to start at right guard.

Spencer Burford was given the job in training camp, but late in the year after veteran Jon Feliciano saw action due to injury, it threw the team’s starting OL into question. It’s something the coaching staff hasn’t resolved yet with a couple days left before kickoff.

“We’re working through that right now,” Foerster told reporters in a press conference. “Jon had some, we were working through some things the last week of the season. I think we’re going to see, probably you’ll see some of both guys in the game as far as who starts and who doesn’t. Although I’m not sure at this point, I think we’re working out through the week and it could be a hot hand thing, could be a let one guy just go with it and see, I don’t know. We’re still, both guys have been working and we have to have flexibility in there.”

There’s a fine line between having flexibility and not knowing who the team’s five best offensive linemen are.

Feliciano saw action in 10 games at both guard spots and center. Of his 478 snaps, 26 came at C, 208 at LG and 244 at RG. He wound up the team’s second-highest graded offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus. Trent Williams was the only regular OL ahead of him. Feliciano surrendered 15 pressures and no sacks in 257 pass blocking snaps.

Burford, meanwhile, was the team’s lowest-graded offensive lineman. He allowed 33 pressures and five sacks in 460 pass blocking snaps according to PFF’s data. The 33 pressures are the seventh-most among starting RGs. It is worth noting four of those pressures and one of the sacks came when he was thrust into playing right tackle against the Ravens.

For now the in-season productivity makes it pretty clear the veteran Feliciano is a better option at RG for the 49ers. Whether the team believes that is not immediately clear, though Foerster’s comments makes it seem as though it’s more of a coin flip.

If the team does deem that competition close enough to go with a rotation, then Feliciano’s versatility might make him more valuable to the 49ers as a reserve who can plug in wherever they need.

“My thing is that [OL Aaron] Banks has had some things this season,” Foerster said. “So the flexibility of Jon being able to work all the positions that’s always going to leave us making sure that Jon’s ready at all the spots. He’s the backup center, he’s the backup left guard. So that always weighs into our equation a little bit. So, we have to keep some flexibility there.”

Most teams roll with a starting five on the offensive line that stays together when healthy. It sounds like the 49ers have other plans heading into the divisional playoffs vs. the Packers, and how well that works out could ultimately decide just how far they go in the postseason.

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49ers inactives: RB Elijah Mitchell, RG Spencer Burford officially ruled out vs. Seahawks

The #49ers are pretty banged up for Sunday’s game. Here are the inactives:

The injury bug caught up with the 49ers heading into their Week 14 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. Of their seven inactive players,  five are out because of injury.

Here’s who won’t suit up for San Francisco:

QB Brandon Allen (QB3)
DL Robert Beal Jr.
DL Arik Armstead (knee, foot)
TE Ross Dwelley (ankle)
RB Elijah Mitchell (knee)
CB Darrell Luter Jr. (hamstring)
OL Spencer Burford (knee)

Mitchell and Burford were both considered doubtful going into Sunday and now they’ve been officially ruled out.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan originally indicated Mitchell was dealing with some knee soreness, but his absence all week in practice and during Sunday’s game are a sign there may be more than general soreness. There’s been no official diagnosis for the RB.

Burford was a little banged up going into Week 13, but played through it. Now he’s dealing with a different knee injury that will keep him out this week.

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49ers Week 14 injury report: 3 players ruled out, 3 others doubtful

The #49ers have a full injury report in Week 14 with 6 players either out or doubtful.

The 49ers’ Week 14 injury report is as full as they’ve had all season. There are six players designated either as out or doubtful, including defensive lineman Arik Armstead who is dealing with knee and foot injuries.

Armstead along with tight end Ross Dwelley and wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud will miss Sunday’s showdown with the Seahawks. Dwelley hurt his ankle against the Eagles and didn’t practice at all during the week. McCloud was out for Week 13 with a rib injury. He was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice, then a non-participant in the final two sessions of the week.

Javon Kinlaw and Kevin Givens figure to see more action with Armstead out. Charlie Woerner and potentially rookie TE Brayden Willis will fill in for any snaps Dwelley vacates. Deebo Samuel handled kickoffs in Philadelphia with McCloud out. Rookie WR Ronnie Bell fielded the punts.

There are also three players listed as doubtful. Right guard Spencer Burford has a knee issue, cornerback Darrell Luter is working through a hamstring and running back Elijah Mitchell has a knee injury. None of that trio participated in any practices during the week.

Burford’s absence would mean means a start at right guard for Jon Feliciano. RB Ty Davis-Price could be elevated from the practice squad to provide some depth if Mitchell misses the game, and it’s unclear which players would take over Luter’s special teams snaps.

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49ers begin Week 14 practice with 6 players out

Here’s the #49ers’ first Week 14 practice report:

The 49ers are a little banged up entering a Week 14 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Wednesday’s practice participation report featured six players out, but there was some good news with wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud back in practice.

Among those missing were defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot, knee), right guard Spencer Burford (knee), tight end Ross Dwelley (ankle), cornerback Darrell Luter (hamstring), running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) and left tackle Trent Williams who got a veteran rest day.

Armstead’s foot injury is lingering from last week, but the knee is a knew ailment he sustained in the team’s Week 13 win over the Eagles. His status for Sunday is in doubt and head coach Kyle Shanahan said he could miss a week or two.

Burford has been dealing with a knee injury since the lead up to Week 12 and while he played Sunday in Philadelphia it’s unclear if he’ll be able to suit up against Seattle. He missed the Week 12 game vs. the Seahawks and it may turn out he misses the second one as well.

For Mitchell it doesn’t sound like he’s dealing with any kind of long-term injury. Shanahan indicated he’s still sore from Sunday’s game. With Tyrion Davis-Price no longer on the team, the club’s RB depth would be thin if Mitchell can’t go.

McCloud did practice Friday before the Eagles game in a limited fashion, but he didn’t play as he works through a rib injury.  Another limited session Wednesday is a good sign that he’s trending the right direction.

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49ers banged up OL on hand for bonus practice ahead of Week 13

The #49ers had their starting offensive line healthy and accounted for at Monday’s bonus practice.

The 49ers on Monday took the field for a ‘bonus’ practice coming off the mini bye that comes with playing on a Thursday. Teams with the additional practice aren’t required to issue participation reports, but Matt Barrows of the Athletic noted that right guard Spencer Burford and left guard Aaron Banks were both suited up for the session.

Burford missed Week 12 with a knee injury that likely only sidelined him because of the short week according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. His presence for Monday’s practice is a great sign for his availability in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon.

Banks missed the first two games out of the bye after injuring his toe in Week 8 before the bye week. He played Thursday in Seattle and his participation Monday is an indicator that he didn’t suffer any setbacks during Thursday’s contest.

With a good defensive line awaiting them in Philly, the 49ers having a full slate of starting offensive lineman could be one of the most important developments of the week.

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49ers injury report lists 4 as questionable vs. Seahawks

The #49ers have 2 starting OL listed as questionable for Thursday night:

The 49ers could be without two starting offensive linemen Thursday night against the Seahawks. Both left guard Aaron Banks and right guard Spencer Burford are listed as questionable on the injury report released Wednesday.

Banks is working his way back from a toe injury. He was a limited participant in practice Tuesday and Wednesday after being listed as a non-participant in the projected Monday practice report.

Burford on Monday showed up with a knee injury that wouldn’t be as big of an issue if the team was playing Sunday per head coach Kyle Shanahan. The short turnaround has his status in question though.

The other two players listed as questionable are cornerback Samuel Womack and defensive end Robert Beal. Both of them are returning from IR and have until Monday to be either activated or placed on season-ending IR.

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