The San Francisco 49ers came into the season with Ben Bartch starting at left guard. Last season, in 64 snaps, Bartch showed he was an upgrade over incumbent starter Aaron Banks. The 49ers could replace Banks’s production at 90 percent of the cost. In theory, it made a ton of sense to let Banks walk, recoup a comp pick, and roll with Bartch moving forward.

One problem: Bartch’s injury history. He lasted a game and a quarter this year before suffering the dreaded high-ankle sprain. The last time we saw Bartch, Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall, and Nick Bosa were in the lineup.

A similar ankle injury landed Bartch on the IR last December. It’s worth noting that the 49ers waived Bartch in August before re-signing him the next day. We bring that up because it’s a sign the team was comfortable lov

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