A few hours after word spread that the 49ers released guard David Gonzales, the team filled that newly available roster spot has been filled with another offensive lineman. The 49ers announced they have signed veteran offensive guard Leonard Davis. The 49ers brought him in for a workout back in March, but never worked out a deal with the former Cardinals and Cowboys Pro Bowler.
While Alex Boone looked to enter camp as the presumptive favorite, this addition adds some more competition to the mix. David Gonzales might end up on somebody's practice squad, but he was never really going to challenge for a 53-man roster spot in San Francisco. Leonard Davis turns 34 in September, but he's shown what he can do in recent years.
We won't know exactly what kind of chance Davis has until we see how the team works him in at practice, and what kind of playing time he gets in preseason action. One possibility that is based on nothing more than my own speculation and creativity is that he could fill a backup guard role if the team decides Joe Looney needs more recovery time. The media reports indicate Looney could be back in the first couple weeks of camp, but we don't really know anything for certain. If the team eventually decides Looney should sit the whole year, that opens up a roster spot. There is nothing to indicate that is in fact the case. Rather, it's just one more possibility.