Niners' Offensive Line: Marathon, Not Sprint

On March 31st, San Francisco 49ers General Manager John Lynch laid it out plain this weekend.

Building the roster is a marathon, not a sprint, especially up front on the offensive line.

He told reporters straight up,

we're not done yet, with the interior spots looking thin after a rough 2025 season full of turnover.

The left guard position turned into a revolving door last year,

and now the week one started blocking for Detroit while the playoff guy bolted to Vegas.

That leaves seventh round pick Connor Colby as the top returning option with real snaps,

and Nick Zaykelja only popped in briefly last October.

Lynch hit the bargain bin hard, bringing in guys like Robert Jones,

who's the early favorite after starting every game for Miami in 2024,

but missing all of last year with a neck injury.

Then there's 30-year-old Brett Toth, who finally got consistent field time,

and versatile Dominic Puni, who's slotted at right guard for now.

Eyes are on the draft, where the Niners hold 4-4th round picks,

and won't chase top guys like Penn State's Vega-Ioane in Round 1.

Instead, they're eyeing zone-scheme athletes like Oregon's Emanuel Pregnant,

ranked 72nd overall with elite explosiveness, Texas A&M's.

Chase by Santos at 75th for his raw athleticism,

and Georgia Tech's Keelan Retledge at 87th, a steady vet with 43 starts.

With most interior prospects falling between picks 100 and 150,

Lynch's words point right to late April, setting the Niners up.

Nice to lock down that blindside pocket.

That wraps NFL News Today, brought to you with AI.