49ers OL Jon Feliciano (knee) to start season on IR

Aug 21, 2024, 12:00 PM | Updated: 5:38 pm

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 11: Jon Feliciano #55 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 25-22 in overtime during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

BY FIELD LEVEL MEDIA

Sactown Sports

San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Jon Feliciano will begin the season on injured reserve following his recent knee surgery.

Coach Kyle Shanahan provided the update Tuesday for Feliciano, who is listed as the backup to right guard Spencer Burford on the team’s depth chart.

Feliciano, 32, started seven of the 16 games he appeared in during his first season with the 49ers in 2023, playing 48 percent of the offensive snaps.

A fourth-round draft pick by the then-Oakland Raiders in 2015, Feliciano has played in 113 games (61 starts) with the Raiders (2015-18), Buffalo Bills (2019-21), New York Giants (2022) and 49ers.

#49ers Jon Feliciano had recent knee surgery and will open the season on IR, per Kyle Shanahan pic.twitter.com/xFKIdGQPaZ

— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) August 20, 2024

Where does the 49ers OL Stand without Jon Feliciano?

Losing Feliciano temporarily is a big hit for the San Francisco 49ers, especially on the interior of their offensive line. The journeyman OL played a variety of roles and positions for the Red & Gold last season, propelling him into the starting lineup halfway through the year.

Unfortunately, 2024 won’t see a similar start, now banged up before the season has even begun.

“Yeah, it could linger for a while. He ended up having to get some type of, I don’t know exactly the surgery he got, but he got something done and he’ll end up probably starting on IR and hope to have him back towards the middle of the year,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan stated about Feliciano.

Luckily, the 49ers have a contingency plan in rookie guard Dominick Puni.

The third-round pick from Kansas has impressed during his first NFL preseason, keeping the quarterbacks clean throughout. Puni has only allowed one pressure in 44 pass-blocking snaps through two contests. He has also not allowed any QB hits nor sacks this preseason.

It’s early, but through two games, the Kansas Jayhawk has staked his claim to be a starter Week 1.

Dominick Puni against 8x Pro-Bowler, Cam Jordan pic.twitter.com/cpd5xnac1X

— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) August 20, 2024

“Good. He’s played well. He’s kind of been consistent throughout, the way he started camp and has continued to work every week. He’s been a pretty consistent performer. Everything we saw him do in practice, he did in the game,” 49ers run-game coordinator Chris Forester said about Puni recently.

–Field Level Media