HEADLINES

Ben Bartch

Ben Bartch Favorite For 49ers’ Starting LG Job

August 10th, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Rory Parks

It appears the 49ers’ left guard position is settled. Per Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area, the job likely belongs to Ben Bartch, who re-signed with San Francisco in February.

Bartch, 27, entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Jaguars in 2020. He got into 41 games across three-plus seasons in Jacksonville and landed with the 49ers midway through the 2023 campaign. He has been with the organization ever since.

He started just two games for the Niners last year and saw a grand total of 65 offensive snaps in relief of an injured Aaron Banks, but he played well in his limited action before succumbing to an injury of his own. Banks was one of the many players who departed San Francisco this offseason as a result of the club’s cap constraints, which left a full-time LG spot up for grabs.

The battle for that gig came down to Bartch and 2022 sixth-rounder Nick Zakelj, who has just two career starts to his name (compared to Bartch’s 22). While Bartch opened training camp on the active/PUP list, he was activated at the end of July, and Zakelj did not seize his opportunity.

“It’s Bartch’s job to lose, really,” offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Foerster said of the LG post. “Nick had a chance when Ben was hurt early, but Ben came back quick enough that if Nick would have really asserted himself, [he could have] taken the role, but he didn’t. He was good, but we still feel Ben gives us the best shot.”

One of the Niners’ few bright spots in 2024 was the performance of rookie right guard Dominick Puni, who played all but one offensive snap and who finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-highest-rated guard among 77 qualified players. As the team seeks a return to the postseason and a return to form from newly-extended quarterback Brock Purdy, they will be hoping that Bartch — who is earning scarcely more than the league minimum — can serve as an effective complement to his younger counterpart.

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/31/25

July 31st, 2025 at 8:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed: WR Chase Cota

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: LB Garrett Nelson
  • Reverted to IR: LB Johnny Walker

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: WR Jaden Smith
  • Waived/injured: S Marcus Banks, RB D.J. Williams

Washington Commanders

  • Activated from active/NFI: OL Tim McKay

The Colts added some experienced cornerback depth today in Tre Herndon and Duke Shelley. Herndon had a long stint in Jacksonville, starting 34 of his 83 appearances with the organization. Shelley has bounced around the league a bit, with his longest stint coming in Chicago between 2019 and 2021. Both players were limited to one appearance each during the 2024 campaign.

The 49ers made a long list of moves today, most notably to their wide receiver depth. Marquez Callaway was limited to two games in Tampa Bay last season, but he compiled 698 receiving yards and six touchdowns as recently as 2021. Andy Isabella has only gotten into 13 total games over the past four years, hauling in five receptions over that span. They’ll be taking the roster spots previously held by former Bears starter Equanimeous St. Brown and former Kansas State standout Malik Knowles.

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/18/25

July 18th, 2025 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor NFL transactions as we head into the weekend:

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

San Francisco 49ers

The Lions have added three players to the roster today after a working them out. Bootle has had a cup of coffee with a few teams in the league after going undrafted in 2021. Small didn’t see the field at all as an undrafted rookie with the Titans last year, and Russell becomes the latest undrafted rookie free agent to sign a deal this year. His tenacity has been rewarded two and a half months after the draft.

OL Rumors: Neal, Banks, Teller, 49ers

April 12th, 2025 at 11:36am CST by Sam Robinson

Evan Neal came into the NFL with some guard experience, playing there at points at Alabama. Some evaluators viewed that as the former high-end prospect’s better NFL spot. After faceplanting at tackle, Neal may have no choice. This could be where the situation is headed, as ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan labels Neal as “destined” to slide to guard. GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll said Neal is open to playing guard or tackle. The Giants have Jermaine Eluemunor at RT presently, assuming Andrew Thomas stays healthy, and a soon-to-be 35-year-old (Greg Van Roten) at RG. Schoen resisted moving Neal to guard in the past, but with the Alabama alum being a major disappointment as a pro, a starter-to-bullpen-like switch may be necessary as a last-ditch measure.

Although the Giants re-signed Van Roten to a one-year, $3.25MM deal, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan points to a potential early-round guard pick to learn from the veteran. This would cloud Neal’s status further, though the Giants already missed on a Schoen-era Day 2 guard pick (Joshua Ezeudu). Here is the latest from the O-line landscape:

  • Despite extensive work already, the Texans also look to be ready to add an early-round O-lineman. Holding four top-90 picks, Houston should be considered likely to use one on a blocker, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes. One target appears to be Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr., as Miller indicates “numerous scouts” point to the Texans being high on the ex-Longhorns tackle. Ranked 31st on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Banks was a former five-star recruit who claimed the Outland Trophy last season. Some teams view Banks as a better guard, per Jeremiah, but others may hold him in higher regard. Although the Texans could be eyeing him as a long-term answer at guard or left tackle, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill notes some view a landing with the Jets at No. 7 as realistic. After drafting Olu Fashanu in last year’s first round, New York needs a right tackle to replace Morgan Moses.
  • The Browns now have three experienced guards, having added Teven Jenkins on just a one-year deal worth $3.1MM. This could point Wyatt Teller to a crossroads after he missed time in 2024, but GM Andrew Berry expects (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) the veteran starter to be back in 2025. A two-time second-team All-Pro who has received three Pro Bowl invites, Teller played a key role for the Browns during the decade’s first half. Teller, 30, also only missed four games last season. He is entering a contract year, but the Browns’ penchant for void years would create considerable dead money in the event of a trade or release. That said, Cleveland can save more than $7MM by trading Teller after June 1. Doing so would clear a spot for Jenkins, as Joel Bitonio is set to play at least one more season.
  • Joining Jenkins as a three-year guard starter from the 2021 second round, Aaron Banks signed a big-ticket Packers deal. This leaves the 49ers with a key player to replace. Despite Spencer Burford‘s past as a starting guard, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows views Ben Bartch and Nick Zakelj as the players set to compete to start opposite Dominick Puni. Re-signed to a one-year, $1.34MM deal, Bartch is a 20-game starter; Zakelj — a 2022 sixth-rounder — has two career starts. Matt Hennessy, a former Falcons starting center, may factor into this competition as well, Kyle Shanahan said (via Barrows).
  • As for Burford, he may be ticketed to be San Francisco’s swing tackle after practicing more there than guard down the stretch last year, Barrows adds. Burford played tackle in college. He would be set to replace Jaylon Moore, whom the 49ers wanted to keep. They did not appear close to matching the Chiefs’ two-year, $30MM offer. “I knew we had a really good roster, but I didn’t know our swing tackle would make $15MM on the free agent market,” John Lynch said. Burford has made 29 career starts, while the Chiefs will bet on Moore (five starts) to stop a left tackle revolving door.

49ers Re-Sign OL Ben Bartch

February 24th, 2025 at 8:02pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers aren’t letting Ben Bartch hit free agency. The team announced that they’ve re-signed the offensive lineman. It’s a one-year deal for Bartch.

A former fourth-round pick by the Jaguars, Bartch got into 41 games across three-plus seasons in Jacksonville. He landed with the 49ers midway through the 2023 campaign and has spent the past-year plus with the organization.

After getting into five games down the stretch with the 49ers in 2023 (plus another three playoff appearances), Bartch was limited to only three games (two starts) in 2024. He fared well in his brief look last year, allowing only one pressure in 65 offensive snaps. He likely would have been in line for more playing time during the final month of the season, but the lineman was sidelined thanks to a high ankle sprain.

With Aaron Banks also set to hit free agency, Bartch does provide the 49ers with some continuity at left guard. Depending on how the offseason plays out, the veteran could actually be penciled in atop the depth chart heading into the 2025 season.

49ers Notes: Ward, Kittle, Juszczyk, OL

January 15th, 2025 at 1:42pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The 49ers are heading into a pivotal offseason, headlined by oncoming negotiations with Brock Purdy on a long-term extension.

Among the 49ers’ pending free agents is cornerback Charvarius Ward, who has started 46 of the team’s 51 games since joining on a three-year, $40.5MM contract during free agency in 2022. Only one of those absences was due to injury, though. The other four were personal: Ward stepped away from the team for three weeks after his daughter, Amani Joy, passed away in October, and later sat out in Week 17 to welcome a son, Charvarius Jr.

Ward acknowledged that the personal tragedy he endured this year may impact his decision to return to San Francisco in 2025.

“I’ve got a lot of trauma in California,” Ward said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “I had a lot of great times, but the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, that’s probably going to ever happen to me — knock on wood — happened in California.”

Ward’s free agency situation is a glimpse into how players’ personal lives – not just the desire for money or championships – can factor into their career decisions.

“It can just bring up bad memories,” continued Ward. “Every time I get on a plane and come back to California, Santa Clara, San Jose, and show up here, it just brings up bad memories.”

Ward’s girlfriend does not want to live in California after the tragedy, further pulling him away from San Francisco. The couple had their son in Dallas, where Ward began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Cowboys. They are on his list of desired destinations in free agency, along with other teams in the south where he grew up and attended college.

The 28-year-old hasn’t ruled out a return to the 49ers, saying that general manager John Lynch has talked to him about re-signing, but he’s not sure they can afford him. San Francisco already signed Deommodore Lenoir to a five-year extension worth just under $90MM after using a second-round pick on Renardo Green in last April’s draft.

Ward should be able to match or beat Lenoir’s contract as an unrestricted free agent. He was excellent in 2023, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro selections, and his step back in 2024 is perfectly understandable considering his personal tragedy. Though the 49ers are projected to have $46.5MM in cap space this offseason, per OverTheCap, another top-15 cornerback deal might not be available with multiple other contract situations to figure out.

Here is the latest out of San Francisco:

  • For example, the 49ers may be considering an extension for All-Pro tight end George Kittle, who set league records with his last extension. His $15MM per-year average set a new high for tight ends at the time of signing (2020), and his $75MM in total money remains the most in the position’s history. He is “all ears” to ideas from the 49ers front office and emphasized that he wants to stay in San Francisco for the rest of his career, per Wagoner.
  • Fellow offensive chess piece Kyle Juszczyk also hopes to stay in San Francisco, according to Wagoner. The veteran fullback took a pay cut last offseason and will count for $6.5MM against the 49ers’ salary cap in 2025. He could be a cap casualty this offseason, but Kyle Shanahan will be hard-pressed to find another player who can fill Juszczyk’s diverse role in the offense. He’s earned eight straight Pro Bowls since signing with the 49ers and will likely remain a crucial part of their offensive attack.
  • The 49ers also have a few offensive line spots to evaluate this offseason. Right guard Aaron Banks is expected to price himself out of San Francisco after last year’s explosion in the position’s free agency market. Ben Bartch is also a free agent, but he will be cheaper to retain and could take over for Banks in 2025. At center, meanwhile, the 49ers will likely stick with veteran Jake Brendel, but 2022 sixth-rounder Nick Zakelj could factor into the team’s future plans, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic.
  • The 49ers almost added another cornerback last offseason, pursuing now-Lions defender Amik Robertson in free agency, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Robertson opted for a two-year, $9.25MM deal in Detroit, where he managed to avoid the defense’s injury bug to appear in 17 games, including three starts to end the regular season. He is now set to play a major role in the Lions’ postseason push for a Super Bowl.

49ers To Place OL Ben Bartch On IR

December 9th, 2024 at 5:57pm CST by Ben Levine

The injury woes continue for the 49ers. Ben Bartch has been a bright spot for the 49ers over the past few weeks, but the offensive lineman will now miss the remainder of the regular season. The guard is expected to land on injured reserve later this week, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

Bartch suffered a high ankle sprain during yesterday’s win that will require an IR stint. The fifth-year player will now have to miss at least the next four games. With only four contests remaining on the schedule, Bartch’s only hope of playing again during the 2024 campaign would be in the playoffs.

A former fourth-round pick by the Jaguars, Bartch moved around the offensive line in Jacksonville, shifting in and out of the starting lineup. He was snagged by the 49ers off the Jaguars practice squad midway through the 2023 season, and he managed to get into five games down the stretch in San Francisco.

The 26-year-old was buried on the depth chart to begin the 2024 campaign and only recently got into the lineup after left guard Aaron Banks suffered a concussion. Bartch started each of the past two games for the 49ers, and he’s appeared in 65 snaps across the past three weeks. In his small sample size, Bartch has graded as the second-best OL on the 49ers this season, per Pro Football Focus.

When Bartch went down with his injury yesterday, Spencer Burford stepped in at LG. Fortunately for the 49ers, Banks passed concussion protocol and could also be inserted back into the starting lineup for Week 15 (per Wagoner).

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

August 28th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ers, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Arizona Cardinals

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

49ers Activate Talanoa Hufanga, Move Roster To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two 49ers remain out out of the mix (but definitely not out of headlines, in Brandon Aiyuk‘s case), though both standouts are still employed by the team. Though, Trent Williams remains on the reserve/did not report list. Here is how the defending NFC champs pared their roster to 53 by today’s deadline:

Released:

Waived:

Activated from active/PUP list:

Placed on IR:

Placed on IR (return designation):

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Hufanga’s status represents a positive development for a 49ers team in need of them. The All-Pro safety had been rumored to join Greenlaw on the reserve/PUP list. Avoiding it does not guarantee Hufanga will be ready for Week 1, but it keeps the fourth-year defender in the equation for the 49ers’ first four games. They are choosing to carry Hufanga on the 53-man roster and go week-to-week with him. This undoubtedly led to Walker being moved off the roster.

Conversely, Mitchell’s time with the team may be over. San Francisco surprised most by vaulting the 2021 sixth-round pick into a starting role to open that season, dropping Trey Sermon to a backup spot. Mitchell operated as San Francisco’s preferred starter — as long as he was healthy, which was sporadic — until the October 2022 Christian McCaffrey trade. The 49ers now have Jordan Mason and rookie Isaac Guerendo as CMC backups.

A hamstring injury has sidelined Mitchell, potentially opening the door to an injury settlement. Davis will be able to return this season for the 49ers; Mitchell’s designation would prevent that. The 49ers are down to seven IR activations as a result of the Davis decision. A 2022 sixth-round pick, Davis remains in the team’s plans despite injuries largely keeping him out of action. Davis has played just three NFL games, and he suffered another injury — a knee issue requiring surgery — during camp.

The 49ers, who will bring many of these players back to the practice squad, cut two recent third-round picks — Gray and Latu. The latter has not played yet as a pro, missing his entire rookie season with an ACL tear. Gray has been unable to carve out a role on a 49ers team that has seen Jauan Jennings stick as the team’s WR3; rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing are also in the mix now.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/24

March 10th, 2024 at 10:31pm CST by Ely Allen

With so many headline-grabbing transactions in the NFL today, here are a couple minor moves that may have slipped through the cracks:

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers signed Bartch off of the Jaguars’ practice squad in late November and saw him immediately contribute as a backup on offense and as a special teamer. In San Francisco, Bartch appeared in regular season games at all three interior line positions. He’ll bring that same versatility back to the Bay in 2024.

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