49ers Starting Offensive Lineman Injures Knee Against Raiders

Uh oh.

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers guard Dominick Puni (77) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

LAS VEGAS -- The 49ers just can't catch a break.

They came into Saturday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders with about 20 injured players -- they barely could get through Thursday's joint practice. And now, they just lost one of their starting offensive linemen.

Right guard Dominick Puni left the 49ers' preseason game against the Raiders in the first quarter with a knee injury he suffered during an extra point attempt after the 49ers' opening drive. They haven't yet revealed the extent of the injury, but they ruled him out almost immediately after he got injured, which usually indicates that the injury is a bad one.

Dominick Puni -

Hard to tell if it was his right or left knee.
Has his left leg rolled up on, but right knee also in the mess.
Hopefully it’s nothing serious.
pic.twitter.com/qj2XfAk9i9

— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 16, 2025

Dominick Puni injures his knee against the Raiders

After Puni left the game, he was replaced at right guard by Nick Zakelj, who is a major downgrade. Puni is the 49ers' second-best offensive lineman on the team after future Hall of Famer Trent Williams.

The 49ers drafted Puni in Round 3 last year, and he became a starter in training camp when Spencer Burford and John Feliciano were injured. Puni was so good, he never gave away the starting job. And for the first half of last season, he was one of the best guards in the league.

Then, Puni hit the rookie wall. The NFL season is much longer than the college season, and he struggled during the final couple months last year. In addition, the league studied him, which means the book on him is out. Now, he has to adjust and improve, a process that won't always be smooth. In camp this offseason, Puni often struggled, particularly during 1-on-1 pass-rush drills because he was working on new techniques.

Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers guard Dominick Puni (77) after defeating the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The 49ers can't afford to lose Puni for an extended period of time, because they're already thin on the offensive line. Starting left Ben Bartch injured his elbow earlier this week and hasn't practiced or played since then. Bartch has an extensive injury history and never has played a full season in the league.

Bartch's replacement at left guard has been rookie seventh-round pick Connor Colby, who fits the 49ers' zone-blocking scheme, but struggles to anchor in pass protection, meaning he tends to get pushed into the quarterback's lap.

So the 49ers' offensive line is a major issue with just three weeks until the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, who have a good defensive line.

Hopefully for the 49ers' sake, they'll have Puni for that game.