SANTA CLARA — Veteran offensive lineman Jon Feliciano recently had knee surgery that is expected to keep him out of action for approximately half the season.
“It could linger for a while,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday.
“He’ll probably end up starting on IR, and hope to have him back toward the middle of the year.”
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Feliciano has not practiced this summer due to an unspecified knee condition. The 49ers plan to carry him on the initial 53-man roster next Tuesday, then place him on injured reserve a day later.
Feliciano will be designated for return to the active roster for later in the season. Players who go on injured reserve are required to miss at least four weeks of the regular season.
Feliciano, 32, who enters his 10th NFL season, appeared in 16 regular-season games last season with seven starts. He started all three of the 49ers’ postseason games at right guard after replacing Spencer Burford in the starting lineup.
Feliciano re-signed as a free agent with the 49ers in the offseason. He described his one-year contract on social media as his “last ride.”
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Burford is returning this week to individual drills after missing significant time in training camp with a fractured hand.
Rookie Dominick Puni, a third-round draft pick from Kansas, has moved into the spot with the 49ers’ first-team offense. He could be in line to start at right guard when the 49ers open the regular season on Monday, Sept. 9, against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium.
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