Only one member of the San Francisco 49ers' 2024 draft class failed to make the initial 53-man roster , missing out despite an extremely impressive preseason.
Sixth-round offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston was close to faultless in terms of pass protection across the 49ers' three preseason games, giving up just two pressures in 88 pass block snaps in the exhibition schedule, per Pro Football Focus. He also demonstrated impressive movement skills in the run game, backing up impressive pre-draft testing numbers and doing so while demonstrating the flexibility to operate at both left and right guard.
Yet the 49ers decided to risk trying to sneak Kingston onto the practice squad, and they paid the price, with the Carolina Panthers using their top waiver priority to scoop him up and add him to their group in the trenches.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), The Athletic's Matt Barrows explained that the 49ers likely would have held onto Kingston had they not felt the need to keep veteran guard Jon Feliciano, dealing with a knee injury, on the active roster. San Francisco's motivation in doing so was likely to create an extra place on the roster by placing Feliciano on injured reserve, a move the 49ers will be expected to make this week.
The 49ers, therefore, probably felt they needed to release Kingston to have the extra flexibility their roster gymnastics with Feliciano will provide. The reality is they didn't. San Francisco could have gone with Kingston over Nick Zakelj, who made the team in part because of his own versatility in being able to play guard and center.
Kingston outperformed Zakelj in preseason, earning a PFF pass block grade of 71.9 compared to 63.2 for Zakelj, who allowed as many pressures in 64 pass block snaps.
Additionally, the 49ers have other options at backup center, with undrafted free agent Drake Nugent a candidate for the practice squad after earning the highest pass block grade of any 49er in preseason. Barrows also reported that Ben Bartch, who like Zakelj can play both guard and center, is set to be brought back in some capacity after initially failing to make the 53. Bartch had the second-highest grade behind Nugent.
Since joining the 49ers as a sixth-round pick in 2022, Zakelj hasn't displayed the promise to suggest he could become a starter. Kingston's preseason tape was a demonstration that he clearly boasts the upside to be a long-term starter at either guard spot.
By keeping him, the 49ers could have saved themselves some money next offseason, when starting left guard Aaron Banks is due to become a free agent. The 49ers will either have to pay Banks or find a replacement, with the potential re-signing of impending free agents complicated by the likelihood of the 49ers making Brock Purdy one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in football.
Kingston would have given them a potential successor on a very affordable rookie contract. Instead, the 49ers, seemingly feeling their hands were tied, decided to move on. Maybe Zakelj or Bartch stake a compelling claim to fill the void if Banks leaves next year. However, right now, cutting Kingston appears a very short-sighted move that the Niners will probably live to regret.
Related: San Francisco 49ers perform roster gymnastics to quickly bring back a training camp standout
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