It looked like depth would be a strength of the San Francisco 49ers offensive line in the 2024 season.
That depth has already taken a hit and now the 49ers have some new questions to answer on the offensive front.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Tuesday told reporters offensive lineman Jon Feliciano is undergoing knee surgery that will land him on IR to start the year.
Rules used to dictate that a player had to land on the 53-man roster before going on IR in order to return from the injured list. New rules allow teams to put players on IR before the cut down to 53, then activate them later.
It’s unclear when the club will put Feliciano on IR, but it would make sense to put him there before final cuts so they have an extra roster spot.
Feliciano has been dealing with a knee issue for most of training camp. His timeline for return is unclear, although it sounds like he will be able to return to play in the 2024 season.
This comes as a significant blow for the 49ers since Feliciano entered camp as a favorite to win the right guard job. Rookie Dominick Puni played well enough to earn that spot while Feliciano and Spencer Burford were out, but Feliciano still figures to be a major depth piece who can play all three interior OL spots for San Francisco.
With Feliciano sidelined, it opens the door for a player like Ben Bartch, Nick Zakelj or Burford to either make the roster or take on a more outsized reserve role.