The biggest uncertainty on the 49ers’ roster right now seems to be at the interior of the offensive line. The competition for the left guard position hasn’t exactly been impressive, and the team also lost a backup center due to what appears to be a significant concussion.
In an attempt to remedy both issues, the 49ers made a move shortly before finalizing their roster to 53 players by trading for a seasoned offensive lineman who can play both positions.
San Francisco acquired Jarrett Patterson from the Texans, giving up a seventh-round pick in 2027. Patterson, who’s 26, was originally drafted in the sixth round and has played in 39 games, with 21 of those as a starter.
Ian Rapoport from ESPN and NFL Network broke the news about the trade, although neither team has officially confirmed it yet. The transaction will be finalized after the 53-man rosters are settled on Sunday, after which Patterson will need to be added to the active roster.
Patterson is expected to primarily serve as the backup to center Jake Brendel. The 49ers had brought in Brett Toth for that role, but he suffered a concussion earlier in training camp and has since been placed on season-ending IR.
Interestingly, Patterson brings experience to both the center and left guard roles. A rookie named Carver Willis seems to have the edge over Connor Colby for the left guard spot, but both players made the initial roster.
Coach Kyle Shanahan hasn’t appeared enthusiastic about the options available for left guard. Austen Pleasants got a chance before landing on IR with a designation to return, and Robert Jones, an experienced player brought in to bolster the line, was let go during the cuts.
While there’s a possibility of trying Patterson at left guard, that would leave them without a backup center. With Toth on IR, the team also waived third-string center Jake Nugent and placed another interior lineman, Nick Zakelj, on season-ending IR.
The offensive line has seen the most drama during cutdown day, which is hardly surprising considering it’s been one of the least stable positions throughout training camp.
At the very least, the team needed a capable body, and there’s some belief that Patterson can offer more than that. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 310 pounds, he was the 201st pick overall from Notre Dame in 2023 and quickly became the Texans’ starting center as a rookie.
He started eight games before suffering a fibula fracture that ended his season, then made nine more starts in 2024, and played four games at left guard in 2025. The Texans’ offensive coordinator back then was Bobby Slowik, a former assistant with the 49ers, which should help Patterson adjust.
On the Texans’ unofficial depth chart, he was listed behind two players at right guard.
