Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
On a positive note, the San Francisco 49ers don't have to go into the 2019 season wondering what will happen at kicker.
This, after the Niners and the veteran, Robbie Gould, hashed out a two-year deal last week, which could ultimately turn into a four-year deal, pending options. The deal,
first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, is worth $10.5 million in guaranteed money due at the signing, and the contract could go up to $19 million if it extends over those four years.
Quite a lot of money for a kicker, right? The annual average now makes him the highest-paid kicker in the league.
Some may argue San Francisco is vastly overpaying Gould, who reportedly wanted a trade earlier this offseason after being hit with the franchise tag after his league-leading 97.1 field-goal percentage in 2018.
But
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks isn't buying that argument, instead arguing the money the 49ers are spending on Gould is more than worth it.
"The football world likes to make jokes about kickers and their value to a team, but the San Francisco 49ers should be applauded for making a serious commitment to Robbie Gould," Brooks wrote. "The veteran kicker is the most valuable offensive player on the squad, and the
49ers needed to secure his services to bolster their playoff hopes this season."
The Chicago Bears, who were seen as a prime suitor for Gould if he hit the open market somehow, have been searching for a reliable kicker ever since parting ways with Gould after 2015. And that missed kick from former Bears kicker Cody Parkey (it was tipped) against the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2019 Wild Card game, surely helped cement that need.
Not just with the Bears either.
"The thought of paying a kicker big bucks is probably still mind-boggling to old-school executives, but a good kicker is a dangerous offensive weapon," Brooks continued. "Offensive-minded coaches should fully understand the value, based on how elite kickers expand the scoring zone. A kicker with the capacity to consistently nail field goals from 50-plus yards out puts his team within scoring range not too far across midfield.
"This enables offensive coordinators to alter the play-calling strategies in the 'high red zone,' with a guaranteed three points available whenever the offense crosses the 40-yard line."
It's important to note San Francisco finished dead last in red-zone touchdown efficiency last season. If that ranking doesn't change much in 2019, it's likely Gould winds up remaining a key offensive weapon for head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Interestingly enough, a total of 73 regular-season games last year were decided by three points or less -- a
new NFL record. So, by that argument, perhaps Brooks is onto something.
-
Written by:
Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
