Ranking Most Important 49ers in 2025: No. 30 is a Risky Bet on the OL

The San Francisco 49ers appear much higher on Ben Bartch than most observers, which is why he kicks off our countdown.

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The San Francisco 49ers appear much higher on Ben Bartch than most observers, which is why he kicks off our countdown of the most important players on the 2025 roster at No. 30.

Ranking Most Important 49ers in 2025: No. 30 Ben Bartch

Despite being waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023 and playing just 93 snaps for San Francisco since joining the team, Bartch is now positioned to compete for a starting job. That alone makes him a player to watch this summer.

Bartch was a fourth-round pick by Jacksonville in 2020 and started 20 games over his four seasons there. But his progress stalled, and he was demoted to the practice squad midway through his fourth year. That’s when the 49ers scooped him up.

Over the past two seasons, San Francisco hasn’t needed much from Bartch. But in 2025, that changes. At the very least, he figures to be the first interior lineman off the bench, and he could very well start.

The 49ers lost left guard Aaron Banks in free agency and opted not to make a splashy external signing at the position. Instead, they’re banking on internal options. Spencer Burford is also in the mix, but after struggling at right guard and being benched following two disappointing seasons as a starter, it’s unclear whether he can lock down a job. For what it's worth, he played left tackle during OTAs and minicamp.

Will Burford settle in at left guard, or will his struggles open a starting spot for Bartch? That uncertainty makes him tough to rank any higher, but it’s equally hard to keep a potential starting offensive lineman outside the top 30 on a list like this.

Bartch has as much chance to play fewer than 100 snaps as he does to start every game this year. That makes his training camp battle one of the most important to watch on the 49ers’ roster.