News broke early Tuesday that the San Francisco 49ers were using the non-exclusive franchise tag on Robbie Gould, ensuring that neither the Chicago Bears nor any other team would be able to pry away the veteran kicker.
The non-exclusive franchise tag means that other teams can negotiate with Gould, but the 49ers would have the right to match any qualifying offer. Should they not do so, San Francisco would receive two first-round picks in exchange for Gould.
It is unlikely any NFL team gives up two first-round draft picks for a kicker, so the danger of Gould not playing for the 49ers in 2019 is nearly nonexistent.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and discussed the decision to commit about $5 million to Gould on a one-year deal.
"We put the tag on Robbie because he's a great kicker and we don't want to lose him," Shanahan explained. "We've been in negotiations with him for a while. We haven't come to a conclusion on it for both sides. It's really a credit to Robbie that -- it shows that we don't want to lose him.
"When we franchise him, it's because we're hoping to get more time to solve this with him. I know he's going to be a Niner this year. I know he's not going to be on someone else's team, but I really hope it's longer than one year. So the franchise tag means we don't have to stop negotiating (on) March 13. It means we can go all the way up to the season (July 15, actually).
"I know how bad we want him. Hopefully, we'll meet somewhere in the middle, and it will work out."
Shanahan went on to discuss how important Gould has been for the 49ers these past two seasons. The kicker signed a two-year deal with the team in March of 2017 after spending part of a season with the New York Giants and his first 11 with the Bears.
"Unfortunately, we haven't been a great team these last two years," Shanahan continued. "He's had to make a bunch of game-winning field goals. But I've been calling plays long enough (to know) that it's very tough when you get to that 30-yard line [if] you don't believe the kicker's going to make it, and it takes [kickers] a while to earn that belief. Every time we get there, I never think we're going to miss it. It's a very good feeling to have as a play caller, as a coach, and that's something Robbie has given us for two years."
