The San Francisco 49ers’ options to improve their starting offensive line decreased by one when veteran offensive lineman Jon Feliciano announced his retirement from the NFL after nine NFL seasons.
Feliciano was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2015 draft by the Raiders, and spent four seasons there, three in Buffalo, one with the New York Giants and two with San Francisco.
He missed all of the 2024 season with a knee injury, but in 2023 he emerged as a quality guard option for the 49ers.
Feliciano was one of a handful of internal options San Francisco might have turned to in their quest to find a starting left guard or an upgrade at center. He started seven games at both guard spots in 2023 and actually turned in one of his best seasons as a pro. Last year he might have been in the mix to start at right guard over rookie Dominick Puni, but a knee injury early in camp landed him on IR where he stayed for the entire season.
The veteran OL said in a statement he didn’t believe he could make it through a full season and didn’t want to let a team down. He also indicated he’d be open to helping out Buffalo or San Francisco if they make the postseason.
There are still some internal names to watch for the 49ers on the interior of the offensive line. Spencer Burford could make the move to the left side and compete for a starting spot. Free agent Ben Bartch was the No. 2 LG last year and played well in limited action before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.