49ers Offensive Lineman Suspended Six Games for PEDs

This isn't good.

The NFL recently suspended 49ers offensive lineman Isaac Alarcón for six games without pay because he apparently got caught using performance-enhancing substances.

Technically, Alarcón isn't on the 49ers' 53-man roster. They signed him to a reserve/future contract in January of 2024, then waived him in August and re-signed him to the practice squad. Recently, the 49ers signed him to another reserve/future deal, which means he's still a long shot to make the 53-man roster. Now, he almost certainly won't make it, but he probably will land on the practice squad when his suspension ends.

Alarcón originally made the Dallas Cowboys practice squad in 2020 and remained there through 2022. So he has been on the cusp of making a 53-man roster for almost five years. If he hasn't made it by now, he probably never will.

The NFL is always desperate to find and develop offensive linemen because they don't have enough starting offensive linemen who can stay healthy for 17 games. Any starting offensive lineman who can stay healthy for a full season suddenly is worth $15 million per season. So Alarcón is a worthwhile project.

But realistically, this suspension won't hurt the 49ers. The only thing it will hurt is Alarcón's pockets -- he will miss more than a third of his weekly checks. That's got to hurt.

Side note: Don't you find it interesting that when the NFL suspends someone for using PEDs, it's usually someone you've never heard of?

I'm just saying.