Whatever "official" means regarding winning starting jobs out of training camp, it seems as if offensive lineman Ben Bartch has officially won the job of starting left guard for the San Francisco 49ers.
As shared by NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan over the weekend, Niners offensive line coach Chris Foerster effectively named Bartch as the first-team left guard, putting a stop to what was a brief competition with fellow lineman Nick Zakelj.
"It’s Bartch’s job to lose, really," Foerster elaborated, via Chan. "Nick had a chance when Ben was hurt early, but Ben came back quick enough that if Nick would have really asserted himself, [he could have] taken the role, but he didn’t. He was good, but we still feel Ben gives us the best shot."
Bartch started off camp with a minor injury, which opened a small door for someone like Zakelj to steal a job.
But, not long after former starting left guard Aaron Banks departed via free agency for a lucrative deal with the Green Bay Packers, it seemed as if Bartch was the shoo-in replacement.
"I love Ben Bartch," Foerster continued. "He’s back out there working hard, he’s doing a great job. It’s great to have him back out there, he looks good. He made that step last year. I thought he played well in Buffalo. It was a small sample size, and then he gets hurt early in the Chicago game."
Foerster spoke of that primetime bout against the Buffalo Bills, of course, in which Bartch put himself on the map filling in for an injured Banks, playing notably well in the process. Prior to that, few San Francisco fans would have recognized the lineman's name after the 49ers signed the 2020 fourth-round draftee off the Jacksonville Jaguars' practice squad in November of the previous year.
Of his 20 starts at the NFL level, two have now been with the Niners.
Based on Foerster's comments, that number will rapidly increase for the veteran lineman in what'll be a major bona fide role entering 2025.