No matter what the San Francisco 49ers do, they seemingly cannot escape the injury bug. Despite being 2-0, the 49ers have a lot of concerns surrounding them thanks to the growing number of injuries they are currently dealing with. One spot in particular that is getting hit hard heading into Week 3 is the offensive line.
For Week 2, star left tackle Trent Williams was questionable due to a knee injury, and while he managed to play, he’s going to have to monitor the ailment moving forward. Beyond that, starting left guard Ben Bartch suffered an ankle injury that will cause him to miss time, and Williams’ backup, Spencer Burford, suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for a couple of weeks, too. With that in mind, the 49ers front office brought in several o-linemen for tryouts on Tuesday.
49ers Bring in Five Offensive Linemen for Tryouts
Backup LT Spencer Burford has a knee injury, coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday.
Even before the aforementioned injury woes on the offensive line, the 49ers‘ offense was in rough shape. Quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle both missed the team’s Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints, with the latter being placed on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury. With Mac Jones filling in for Purdy under center, protecting him up front is going to be very important, as he likely won’t fare well if he doesn’t have time to throw the football.
With Bartch out and Burford no longer available to back up Williams in the event his own injury woes force him to miss time, San Francisco needs an infusion of depth on their line. On Tuesday, the front office took matters into its own hands and brought in five offensive linemen for tryouts as the team looks for options to shore up this position.
The five players brought in were Brandon Parker, Le’Raven Clark, Christopher Hubbard, Zachary Thomas, and Matt Waletzko. Parker, Clark, and Hubbard all have starting experience, while Hubbard and Waletzko are younger guys who haven’t played as much. No moves have been announced yet, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the 49ers sign one of these players in the near future.
The 49ers today held tryouts with five offensive tackles: Brandon Parker, Le’Raven Clark, Christopher Hubbard, Zachary Thomas and Matt Waletzko. Backup LT Spencer Burford has a knee injury, coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday,” Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area & California shared in a post on X.
Parker, 29, was drafted by the Raiders in the third round of the 2018 draft and has played in 59 NFL games with 33 starts, all with the Raiders. In 2024, Parker joined the 49ers practice squad. He was most recently on the Falcons practice squad.
Clark, 32, was also a third-round pick. He was taken in 2016 by the Colts and spent 2016 to 2020 there before spending time with the Titans and Steelers. He has 64 career games with 18 starts.
Hubbard, 34, signed with the Steelers in 2013 as an undrafted free agent. He played in Pittsburgh until 2017 and has also spent time with the Browns, Titans and Giants, and was on the 49ers practice squad in 2024. He has made 61 starts in his 102 career games.
Thomas, 27, was a 6th-round pick of the Bears in 2022, and has appeared in 17 games during his career, which includes stops with the Rams, Patriots and Texans. Waletzko, 25, was picked by the Cowboys in the 5th round of the 2022 draft and played in 11 games with Dallas from 2022 to 2024. He was cut by the Cowboys this preseason.
49ers Hoping to Earn Third Straight Win in Week 3
GettyHead coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers.
San Fran dealt with a slew of injuries in 2024, and while a similar trend seems to be taking place early in 2025, the team has done well to not let it impact them, as they have won each of their first two games of the season. Continuing to win as these injuries pile up is going to be difficult, but the Niners still have a lot of talent at their disposal.
Things will get a bit more difficult in Week 3, though, as the 49ers will bump into the Arizona Cardinals, who have also won their first two games of the season. San Francisco will be hoping to get some players back for this game, but they are prepared to go into this game shorthanded as well. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, and if the Niners can win this game, they could surprisingly end up taking an early lead in the NFC West division.
49ers Bring in 5 Offensive Linemen for Tryouts Amid Growing Injury Concerns