The San Francisco 49ers signed offensive lineman Ben Bartch to a one-year contract for 2025 that likely puts him in the mix to compete for the starting job at left guard next season. Bartch was set to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year next month. Bartch played sparingly since joining San Francisco midway through the 2023 season, but showed enough to be part of the team’s plans as the 49ers will likely need a new starter at left guard with Aaron Banks headed to free agency.