The San Francisco 49ers' Biggest Roster Hole is Glaringly Obvious

The San Francisco 49ers have done a great job at filling almost all of their needs in free agency so far. They mostly have to fill some pieces, but there is one clear and obvious need that a starter must fill. That is left, guard.

What are the San Francisco 49ers going to do at left guard?

As it stands, if the 49ers think that the pieces they have at left guard are adequate to compete for a starting job, they are going to have an issue at the position throughout the year.

The team signed Brett Toth, but that should be a move that replaces someone like Nick Zakelj or Matt Hennessy. Both are backups, and both can slide in as the backup center when needed. Zakelj is still on the roster, but has been on the practice squad as well. Hennessy is gone, so Toth should be taking his job, not competing to start. This is a player with fewer than 600 snaps in six seasons for a reason.

If it is not Toth, it would have to be Connor Colby. There is an argument that Colby can improve from Year 1 to his second NFL season. However, he was so poor during his rookie season that he would need a giant leap to become starter quality.

San Francisco 49er — Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

His best role in the NFL may be as a backup, and he can grow into that role, but it is hard to say that he can be a starter after his rookie season.

However, the team has not done anything to address the position so far. To be fair to them, guard is a position where you can find starter-quality play in the mid rounds of the NFL draft. Not many other positions are like this.

Still, they would be going into the draft with a clear need, and if things do not break their way, they are going to be shorthanded. Fortunately for them, a few options still linger in free agency. Joel Bitonio is the best option, but he appears to be weighing retirement as well.

Mekhi Becton, Kevin Zeitler, Wyatt Teller, Daniel Faalele, and Brady Christensen could at least give the team depth, and all of them have shown more than Colby. It would not be crazy if the 49ers wanted to bring in one of these names in free agency and draft someone. What would be crazy is sitting with what they have now.