​Strangely enough, it feels like Dominick Puni broke out in his rookie year of 2024. Yet 2025 brought a touch of regression after a solid debut season, with at least one contributing factor: a PCL injury in August, which struck in what was only the opening month of his setback-plagued campaign. Could the San Francisco 49ers’ right guard be primed for a breakout in 2026? It wouldn’t be the first time a player follows a decent rookie year with a step back in year two, only to rediscover his form in year three.
Over at NFL.com, Bucky Brooks highlighted an offensive all-breakout team, featuring one player per position who he believed would dramatically rise in stock. Puni was the sole 49ers representative on the list. The 2024 third-round pick has started 36 consecutive games (including the postseason) in an offense that leans on his punishing style at the point of attack. Puni is a mauler who excels at driving defenders off the ball, making him an indispensable component of San Francisco’s dynamic rushing attack. While his heavy-handed approach shows promise, he still needs to elevate his pass protection. Still, the 49ers appear to have a Pro Bowler-in-waiting at right guard.
Puni’s contract runs through 2027, which means he has two more seasons to justify a lucrative extension. In the linked discussion, KP compared his potential contract to Jets’ Joe Tippmann as a possible ceiling, though Puni’s actual numbers more closely resemble those of Cowboys’ Tyler Smith. There’s a recurring theme with the 49ers’ O-line: either the unit has issues beyond Trent Williams, or the players who do emerge tend to come with price-tag concerns that push them out of the team’s current budget (think Aaron Banks and Mike McGlinchey in past discussions).
There was plenty to glean from Puni in his rookie season, and the knee injury likely played a role in some of the early-season blown blocks—21 during the first seven weeks. After Week 8, Puni managed only one game with more than three blown blocks. If that knee issue contributed to those early struggles, perhaps the injury’s true severity was underestimated. The question now is whether Puni can translate his physical advantages and on-field tenacity into a breakout year in 2026.
Looking ahead, the expectation is that Puni could regain—or even surpass—his rookie-level impact. If he can stabilize in pass protection and maintain his run-blocking consistency, he would bolster San Francisco’s line and potentially be a cornerstone piece for the team’s offense for years to come. A robust 2026 campaign would not only validate his early-round selection but could also set the stage for a lucrative extension that reflects his growing importance to the 49ers’ offensive identity. Will Dominick Puni seize that breakout year in 2026? Fans and analysts will be watching closely as the next chapter of his career unfolds.