The San Francisco 49ers under head coach Kyle Shanahan have rarely prioritized paying guards on the offensive line, rather focusing on tackles and centers. Hence, this is why the Niners didn't bother getting into a bidding war over now-Green Bay Packers left guard Aaron Banks a year ago.
This go-around, San Francisco opted to let one of its guards, Spencer Burford, hit the open market after his four-year stint in the Bay Area.
And, by all accounts, the 49ers didn't exactly seem intent on keeping him around, even if it was on a bargain-basement deal.
None of that matters now, though, as Burford opted to sign a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in his first-ever foray into free agency, as announced on Vegas' team site. Las Vegas' first-year head coach, Klint Kubiak, is familiar enough with Burford, having been on the Niners' coaching staff under Shanahan back in 2023.
So, with the Raiders needing massive improvements to their O-line, grabbing Burford makes plenty of sense.
It also helps paint a better picture of what San Francisco will do going forward.
49ers likely want to move away from Spencer Burford-like platoon at LG
Burford was a full-time starter his rookie year but saw his role diminish over the three subsequent campaigns, turning into a platoon-type rotational guard. And he's perhaps best known for his missed block in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs back in February of 2024 that was, well... painful for 49ers fans to recall.
That rotation was off and on again throughout much of 2025, impacted primarily by injuries that led to Burford getting an uptick in offensive snaps.
Yet he never quite solidified that first spot on the depth chart.
By inking free-agent lineman Brett Toth, who could actually step into a full-time role right out of the gate, it seems clear the Niners want to move away from a rotation at left guard if they can. While other options like second-year pro Connor Colby could work themselves into the mix, Toth might be the fixture at that spot in a way Burford never truly was.
As for Burford, at least he'll have the chance to play a lot more on a Vegas O-line that sorely needed help.