On one hand, it's quite the mystery why the San Francisco 49ers have kept fringe offensive lineman Nick Zakelj around after he's failed to make much of a dent following being drafted in Round 6 way back in 2022.
Perhaps it's the fact Zakelj was once quarterback Brock Purdy's roommate long ago, so maybe the overlooked lineman has some proverbial "dirt" on the Niners' signal-caller.
Likely not. But Zakelj maintaining some sort of continuity with San Francisco in the years since—including spending the bulk of 2025 on the practice squad—has been a bit odd. He got extensive looks in 2024 amid the 49ers' slew of injuries, yet those didn't amount to much the following year, yet the Niners still kept him around.
That could change, however, thanks to several offseason moves and the subsequent comptetition in training camp.
And it might finally signal the end of the Zakelj era in the Bay Area.
Nick Zakelj is already in serious danger of losing a 49ers roster spot
On a veteran's minimum contract with zero in guaranteed money, it'll be easy for San Francisco to give the lineman a boot in advance of Week 1.
Judging by some of the 49ers' offseason pickups, that seems far more likely than not.
Via free agency, the Niners grabbed versatile linemen like Robert Jones and Brett Toth, and the latter could ultimately serve as a backup center to support Jake Brendel; San Francisco currently doesn't have a true No. 2 for this role.
Additionally, the 49ers used day-three draft picks to select linemen Carver Willis and Enrique Cruz Jr., and it's not a stretch to suggest the Niners have higher hopes for both of those two rather than waiting for a sudden jump in Zakelj's development.
In light of those transactions, Zakelj's hold on a roster spot seems as likely to slip away in the very near future, no later than in advance of Week 1.
The odd thing, though, is this same argument has been placed in front of Zakelj in the years since he joined the league, and the lineman still managed to figure out ways to hang around with San Francisco despite the challenges.
Perhaps that finally concludes in 2026, however.
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