10 players who won’t be on 49ers 53-man roster come Week 1
By Peter Panacy
No. 5: 49ers offensive lineman Colton McKivitz
The D-line wasn’t the only positional group the Niners reinforced this offseason via the draft.
On the flip side of the line of scrimmage, San Francisco invested two draft picks in offensive lineman, grabbing UTSA’s Spencer Burford and Fordham’s Nick Zakelj in Rounds 4 and 6, respectively, before adding another two high-profile undrafted free agents in Arizona State’s Dohnovan West and Mercer’s Jason Poe.
A primary reason to do this was because the 49ers’ O-line depth at this point a year ago was awfully bad, and one could make the case then second-year reservist Colton McKivitz was part of the problem.
Perhaps McKivitz still needs some more development. But even after the Niners lost fellow backup lineman Justin Skule to a torn ACL in the offseason, McKivitz still couldn’t work his way onto the 2021 53-man roster to begin the year and only found himself promoted off the practice squad when starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey suffered a torn quad halfway through the year.
McGlinchey is expected back and fully healthy by training camp. And while there might be questions surrounding whether or not Pro Bowl center Alex Mack retires this offseason, one might assume there are simply too many bodies for McKivitz to beat out a number of other veterans and the new influx of first-year players, too.