49ers roster: 4 players who are winning depth-chart battles at OTAs
By Peter Panacy
It’s early, but these four 49ers players in the midst of depth-chart battles may have the upper edge after impressing during organized team activities.
Again, it’s our usual disclaimer: Organized team activities certainly aren’t the end-all, be-all when it comes to figuring out which players on the San Francisco 49ers’ 90-man offseason roster will survive cuts and be named to the regular-season group by the time Week 1 rolls around.
That said, the padless and tackle-less practice sessions do offer up some insight into how head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad is coming together.
And it’ll also help determine the depth-chart pecking order for training camp later this summer, too.
We’re into Week 2 of the Niners’ OTA sessions. While there has been relatively little media coverage, making it hard to truly assess who’s standing out and who’s floundering, we can garner some notable takeaways.
Especially from those who seem to be emerging on the upper end of some key depth-chart battles, such as these four.
No. 4: 49ers offensive lineman Justin Skule
Fourth-year pro offensive lineman Justin Skule still faces an uphill fight to make the 53-man roster this season, particularly after coming off a torn ACL suffered last offseason that forced him to miss all of 2021 and in light of San Francisco using two NFL Draft picks on additional linemen, Spencer Burford and Nick Zakelj.
Depth was a problem for the 49ers O-line a year ago, yet the injury to starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey means someone will have to take those reps between now and McGlinchey’s anticipated return in training camp.
So far, it’s been Skule working with the first-team unit.
This is good news for him, as Skule appears to be favored over other options, including veterans like Colton McKivitz and Jaylon Moore, while the two drafted rookies aren’t looking like they’re going to immediately threaten Skule for starting reps to close out OTAs.
While Skule has a ways to go to retain a swing-tackle spot, the early indications are he’s fending off any competition.