Former San Francisco 49ers guard Ben Bartch, 27, a 2025 season-opening starter, has agreed to terms with the Lions, the Chronicle first reported. Bartch will sign a contract in Detroit on Wednesday.
Bartch’s exit was foreshadowed Monday when the 49ers signed guard Robert Jones, 27, to a one-year deal. Jones has made 30 starts in his career, including 17 in 2024 with the Dolphins. On the current roster, Jones, who didn’t play last season due to a broken bone in his neck, is the top candidate to start at left guard among a group that includes Connor Colby and Brett Toth. Colby is a 2025 seventh-round pick who was demoted after making six starts last year. Toth is a 2020 undrafted free agent with six career starts.
Bartch started at left guard in a Week 1 win at Seattle last year, but he was injured the following week and played in just six games (two starts) due to ankle and foot injuries. Bartch was excellent when he was available. He played 200 snaps, 100 pass-blocking, and didn’t commit a penalty or allow a sack or QB hit while surrendering four pressures. His Pro Football Focus grade (71.7) topped that of starting right guard Dominick Puni (70.2) and Spencer Burford (58.9), who made nine starts at left guard. Burford signed with the Raiders earlier this month.
Bartch has made 24 career starts, but just seven since he suffered a dislocated knee that included ligament damage in 2022. Last year, he missed the start of training camp with a quadriceps injury before he was sidelined with an elbow injury later in the summer.
Bartch, who played at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., began his improbable NFL career when the Jaguars selected him in the fourth round in 2020, making him the first Division III player drafted in five years. Bartch arrived at Saint John’s as a 215-pound tight end before he gained 93 pounds throughout his four-year stay and finished his career as an All-American left tackle.