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The San Francisco 49ers faced a serious change at a position of strength when kicker Robbie Gould announced his intentions to play elsewhere in 2023, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
As a result, the 49ers were in search of a kicker for the first time in the Kyle Shanahan era, as Gould arrived in 2017 when he posted career numbers.
Then, San Francisco made a move in the kicker market, trading a 2025 conditional seventh-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for kicker Zane Gonzalez, potentially finding their solution for the upcoming season.
However, general manager John Lynch acknowledged the 49ers' interest in kickers at the NFL combine, and the team could still look to select one of the top players at the position when the 2023 NFL Draft begins at the end of the month.
The Athletic's Matt Barrows provided some insight into the 49ers' continued search for their next kicker, reporting Wednesday that the team had worked out each of the top kickers in the draft.
"The 49ers worked out both [Michigan kicker
Jake Moody and Maryland kicker Chad Ryland] last month, according to the agency that represents them. Special teams coordinator Brian Schneider also conducted a workout on March 13 with Auburn kicker Anders Carlson, the younger brother of Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson and someone who could be a late-round pick later this month," Barrows wrote.
According to Barrows, experts believe that the run on kickers will begin in the fourth or fifth round, with Moody projected to be the first selected of the bunch.
"Kornblue and several other kicking experts consulted for this story said the first kicker in this year's draft, which most expect will be Michigan's Jake Moody, probably will be taken in the fourth or fifth round," said Barrows.
What're the 49ers looking for with their kicker search?
It appears they're heavily valuing the kickoff aspect, as each of the three prospects, as well as recent acquisition Zane Gonzalez, are good in that field, which had been an issue with both Robbie Gould and
Mitch Wishnowsky.
"A common denominator among the three is that they're good at kickoffs, with Carlson's workout kicks landing as far as 9 yards into the end zone. The 49ers, meanwhile, struggled with kickoffs over the past two seasons. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky handled the job in 2021, but he wasn't good at it and it seemed to affect his punting. Last season, kickoffs went to Robbie Gould, who had the role full time for the first time since 2016. The 49ers ranked 28th in the league in touchback rate in each of the past two seasons," said Barrows.
The 49ers may not be confined to selecting a kicker, as there should be available options in undrafted free agency, which could provide them with a young, potent option to challenge Gonzalez for the starting job.
Gonzalez's spot isn't guaranteed at the moment, as the 49ers owe him zero guaranteed money on his $1.465 million cap hit for 2023, meaning they can move on without any financial implications.
No longer limited to a special teams role, Ji'Ayir Brown's workload has increased since stepping into the starting lineup for injured safety Talanoa Hufanga on November 19. Making the most of his playing time against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown secured an interception and broke up three passes.
Later, it was revealed that Hufanga would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL. Brown would remain in the lineup.
Since then, the rookie safety has played 100 percent of the defensive snaps, totaling 56 and 72 snaps in the last two games. Pro Football Focus ranks Brown as the second-highest graded rookie safety and the fourth-highest graded rookie defensive back.
Despite being a rookie, Brown carries himself like a seasoned veteran,
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 14 contest against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
As expected, Arik Armstead has been ruled out of this weekend's game, having missed practice throughout the week due to knee and foot injuries. Head coach Kyle Shanahan anticipated the unavailability of his defensive lineman against the Seahawks.
Tight end Ross Dwelley has also been ruled out, having suffered a high-ankle sprain that will sideline him for multiple games.
Also missing Friday's practice were guard Spencer Burford, cornerback Darrell Luter, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud, and running back Elijah Mitchell. All except McCloud, who
The San Francisco 49ers have captured the attention of oddsmakers following their dominant performance against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The Bay Area team is now favored to win Super Bowl 58 in February. Additionally, quarterback Brock Purdy has emerged as the leading contender for the league MVP honors.
Below are the current Super Bowl odds from DraftKings.
San Francisco 49ers +310
Philadelphia Eagles +550
Miami Dolphins +700
Kansas City Chiefs +700
Dallas Cowboys +850
Baltimore Ravens +850
Below are the current MVP odds.
Brock Purdy, 49ers +300
Jalen Hurts, Eagles
The San Francisco 49ers made a resounding statement on Sunday with their dominant 42-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, the team responsible for eliminating them from the playoffs last season. The 49ers downplayed the revenge factor, with players emphasizing that their focus was on proving their remaining doubters wrong.
"This game today was all about just us showing the world where we sit when it comes to the hierarchy in [the] NFL," All-Pro tackle Trent Williams said after the game. "Last year is last year. We didn't have a quarterback. You're supposed to win that game, but we want to just prove to the
