Could 49ers firing Schneider signal a fresh start for Moody?

It was not difficult to surmise during the final days of the 2024 NFL season that 49ers kicker Jake Moody could benefit from a fresh start. On Monday, coach Kyle Shanahan fired special teams coordinator Brian Schneider after three seasons, the team confirmed. Could that be the fresh start and reset that Moody appears to need as his focus turns to his third season? First off, nobody is blaming Schneider for Moody's struggles after he returned from a high-ankle sprain. But it was clear that nothing came easy for Moody, who made just five of his 14 field-goal attempts from 40 yards or longer in the nine games after the injury. The entire field-goal operation looked off between long-snapper Taybor Pepper and holder Pat O'Donnell, the punter who replaced injured Mitch Wishnowsky. Moody ranked 33rd in the NFL in field-goal accuracy (70.6 percent) among all kickers who made 10 or more field goals this season. The 49ers needed a kicker after the 2022 season, and Schneider was among those with the organization who identified Moody as far-and-away the best option available in the 2023 NFL Draft The 49ers selected Moody with the No. 99 overall pick, a compensatory selection at the end of the...