The San Francisco 49ers have done well to cruise out to a 2-0 start in the 2025 campaign, but injuries are continuing to pile up for them. They already were without quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle in their Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints, and now it sounds like another offensive starter is set to miss time, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.
During the Niners’ clash with the Saints, one player who was forced out of the game early was starting left guard Ben Bartch, who picked up an ankle injury. While the hope was that Bartch wouldn’t have to miss much time with this ailment, Shanahan revealed that the team is preparing to be without another one of their starters for an extended period of time.
Kyle Shanahan Provides Ben Bartch Injury Update
Bartch broke into the league with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. While he started 20 games during his time with them, he never earned a consistent spot on their offensive line. After he ended up on the Jags practice squad in 2023, the Niners decided to sign him to their active roster midway through the season.
Last year, Bartch missed the majority of the year with injuries, as he took the field for just three games. Two of those games were starts, though, and after he signed a one-year contract extension with San Francisco this offseason, it seemed like Bartch had a good shot at earning a starting job to begin the new season.
Sure enough, Bartch was the team’s starting left guard, but he’s found himself dealing with some new injury woes. Bartch picked up a high-ankle sprain in San Fran’s second win of the season, and Shanahan revealed that the team is expecting him to miss some time as he recovers from this ailment.
Ben Bartch, he had a high-ankle sprain. He’ll be out for a while,” Shanahan said when discussing the Niners’ injuries from their latest game on Monday.
Injuries Keep Piling Up for Kyle Shanahan, 49ers
GettyHead coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers.
Injuries hampered the 49ers for the majority of the 2024 season, and it seems that trend has carried over into the new campaign. Several key starters on offense are already on the mend, and that’s before even including wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who likely isn’t going to suit up until Week 6 or 7. Beyond that, wide receiver Jauan Jennings and left tackle Trent Williams are both battling through injuries of their own.
With Bartch out, that is going to thrust seventh-round rookie Connor Colby into action. While Colby held his own in Bartch’s absence in Week 2 against the Saints, the team would obviously rather have their usual starter on the field. Even with their aforementioned injury woes, though, the Niners are in a pretty good spot, and they will look to continue their winning ways when they take on the Arizona Cardinals, who are also 2-0, in a big NFC West matchup in Week 3.
Kyle Shanahan Shares Disappointing Update on Key 49ers Starter’s Injury