Updated Feb. 18, 2026, 2:28 p.m. PT
The Nick Zakelj project will continue for at least another year for the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers on Wednesday announced Zakelj, a sixth-round pick in the 2022 draft, signed a one-year extension to remain in San Francisco through the 2026 season. This contract goes down as an extension instead of a new one-year deal because of the timing of the deal. Zakelj was due to hit free agency in March when his rookie contract expired at the start of the new league year. Since his rookie contract didn’t expire, the additional season is technically an extension.
Zakelj played left tackle in college at Fordham and made a transition to the interior as a pro. He played in five games as a rookie, four games in Year 2, and then saw action in all 17 games with two starters in the 2024 campaign. Last season he spent the entire season on the practice squad, but he was elevated to the active roster for three games. He played 23 offensive snaps last year after playing 162 of his 197-career snaps in 2024.
The project to make him a productive player on the interior of the offensive line will continue for at least one more year. San Francisco will get a chance to see him in another training camp. If he doesn’t make the 53-man roster he’d be a practice squad candidate the team could comfortably lean on if their depth is tested.
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