The 49ers look to have moved to a swing tackle decision; an injury will lead to an easier call. San Francisco placed Andre Dillard on IR on Thursday. Barring a belated return after an injury settlement, this move will keep Dillard out of the picture for the 49ers this season. This comes days after the team activated Dillard from the active/PUP list; not much practice time ensued for the six-year veteran.
After a season with the Packers, the former first-round pick joined the 49ers on a vet-minimum deal. Flaming out as the Titans’ left tackle starter, Dillard was competing for the swing tackle role Jaylon Moore‘s Chiefs defection vacated. As it stands, it looks like converted guard Spencer Burford will slide into that role, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows notes.
[RELATED: Assessing 49ers’ 2025 Offseason]
Burford began taking tackle reps early last season, even as Moore held the role. The 49ers may have been grooming the former guard starter for that gig, as Moore eventually drew a two-year, $30MM offer — a rate that surprised even John Lynch — from the Chiefs. Burford had been squarely in the mix to take over, and with Dillard officially out of the equation, it looks like the contract-year blocker will assume one of the NFL’s most important swing roles. The 49ers were rumored to have a deal in place with D.J. Humphries this offseason, but it never came to fruition. Humphries is now with the Rams.
Trent Williams has not played a full season since 2013. Moore helped gain free agency interest because Williams missed seven games last season. The future Hall of Fame tackle has missed at least two games due to injury in each of his five 49ers seasons; an ankle injury kept him off the field during last season’s second half. A former fourth-round pick who drew scrutiny for missing a key block that stalled the 49ers’ overtime drive in Super Bowl LVIII, Burford made 29 guard starts from 2022-23 but spent the ’24 season on the bench. Burford did log 31 left tackle snaps last season. He started the 49ers’ preseason opener at LT.
Dillard, 29, has considerably more time there but has never justified his first-round pedigree. The Titans gave him a three-year, $29MM deal but demoted him during the 2023 season and cut him months later. Dillard, who drew trade interest as Jason Peters‘ backup in Philly, spent the 2024 season as a Packers second-stringer. He could resurface elsewhere via an injury settlement, but for the time being, he is on San Francisco’s IR list.
The 49ers also signed defensive linemen William Bradley-King and Demone Harris while also waiving D-lineman Michael Dwumfour.