How 49ers OT Colton McKivitz can Start to Cement Himself as the Starter

Colton McKivitz has been given the greatest opportunity of his career.

That is the chance at becoming the starting right tackle for a playoff contending team. It wasn't that long ago McKivitz was being cut from the 49ers following training camp in 2021. Now, he finds himself with a potential career resurrection. 

"It's his job to lose," said offensive line coach Chris Foerster. Quite the gamble on a player who has so little game playing experience, especially considering the performances weren't anything to be amazed about. Still, the 49ers are giving McKivitz the lead to win the job, so it is not a guarantee that he will be the starter. McKivitz will have to show Foerster and Kyle Shanahan that he is deserving to be the guy at right tackle.

There is a way for him to start to cement himself as the starter and widen gap between him and the next guy on the depth chart. It all starts when the 49ers hold joint practice with the Raiders in August. That is where Foerster and Shanahan will be keeping a close eye on McKivitz.

"I already told him; I think we're going to camp against the Raiders. They drafted a really high rusher [DL Tyree Wilson] and they have a rusher that is pretty darn good too, 98 [ DL Maxx Crosby]. It is going to be a challenge right out of the gate, just in training camp and the first preseason game, so he'll have a lot to go through this season, but we have a lot of confidence in the guy.” 

Practice in training camp against his own teammates on the defense won't do too much to help McKivitz's case to start. The 49ers will start to read into it the most when they hold joint practices with the Raiders in Las Vegas prior to their Week 1 preseason matchup. By that time, most of actual training camp will have passed by and the 49ers will have an idea of where McKivitz is at. The joint practice will act as the true litmus test for them as McKivitz will have no issues going all out against an opposing team's pass rusher, whereas he could be holding back against someone on his own team.

Regardless, joint practice will be the first step towards legitimizing McKivitz as the starter. And if he has been playing poorly before that, then joint practice will act as a way to give him a second wind in the standings.