49ers Offensive Line has Lofty Expectations Entering 2026

Originally posted on San Francisco 49ers on SI
By Parker Hurley | Last updated Jun 2, 2026 9:00 PM ET

The San Francisco 49ers expect to have a top-ten offensive line, and right tackle Colton McKivitz knows it. He expressed that they have been a top ten unit in the past and that they are currently looking like that group at OTAs. The question is whether they can sustain it all season and live up to the flashes.

The San Francisco 49ers expect a top-ten offensive line in 2026

When all of the starters are clicking, the 49ers have a good offensive line, and at times, they hit their top ten peak last season. However, they have been too inconsistent for fans to notice or appreciate the growth.

Trent Williams is obviously an All-Pro caliber player, but he started slow last season and missed a deciding Week 18 game against the Seattle Seahawks. A top ten offensive line had to go on the road against their division rivals without their best player.

On the right side, McKivitz is coming into his own. He has not been quite the high-end player, but at times, he can be one of the better blockers at his position. At right guard, Dominick Puni started the year nursing an injury and trying to play through it.

He looked like a different player from the first eight weeks through the final run into the playoffs, improving every week. Still, it took him time and the group did not gel into that top ten unti until Puni and Williams started to find their stride.

They also did not turn into that group until they replaced Connor Colby with Spencer Burford. Now, they have a left guard competition that is led by Colby in the early going. He is the only returning option from last year, so the question is whether Robert Jones or Carver Willis can catch Colby before Week 1. If so, there is a case for the line to be top ten.

McKivitz is continuing to ascend, while Williams and Puni are currently healthy. Jake Brendel is not an elite center, but he knows the playbook well and brings consistency. If they are upgraded at left guard, the line is going to look better than last year.

However, they could also spend the early portion of the year figuring out left guard. Then, if Williams gets banged up or the line hits a bump in the road, it could be another rocky season with flashes, but not enough consistency.

This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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