49ers roster battles: Kyle Shanahan says left guard is ‘close to being decided’

We're a year removed from Ben Bartch starting the season, but not making it out of October before getting hurt. Because Spencer Burford was banged up early in the year, it meant Connor Colby would fill in as the backup. By the end of the season, neither trio looked the part — for one reason or another.

In fairness to Colby, he was a seventh-round rookie who should've never been playing that early in his career. Colby's teammates and coaches were confident that he'd improve over the offseason. Colby was handed the reins as the starting left guard to begin training camp, but once the pads came on, he was quickly demoted.

Injuries to Robert Jones and Austen Pleasants , two players who won't play in the preseason finale and are expected back "around Australia," according to Kyle Shanahan, have put Colby right back into the mix at left guard. Two weeks ago, it was unclear whether he'd make the roster.