3 kickers the 49ers should consider adding to roster
Mar 7, 2023, 10:30 AM | Updated: 12:00 pm
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 31: Jake Moody #13 of the Michigan Wolverines kicks a field goal during the second quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 31, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
With longtime kicker Robbie Gould deciding to move on from San Francisco in 2023, the 49ers are now in desperate need of a quality special-teams member asap.
Whether they choose to fill the hole in the draft, or free agency, remains to be seen. What is certain is that Gould is leaving after six seasons in The Bay. In his six years with the 49ers, Gould hit 87.5% of his kicks, the most memorable being his game-winning field goal against the Green Bay Packers in the 2021 postseason.
Now that it’s time to say goodbye, let’s look at a few options for the Red & Gold this offseason.
Matt Gay
Age: 28
Previous team: Los Angeles Rams
If the 49ers want to go with an experienced kicker, they could take a trip down I-5 for one in Matt Gay.
Gay has been efficient since joining the Rams in 2020, hitting 92.5% of his field goals in LA. He has also been great at converting PATs, averaging 97.9% in three years. Gay was one of the lone bright spots for the Rams last season, cover tying 28 of 30 attempted field goals, while also matching his career-long of 58 yards.
Now on the market for the first time in his career, LA is strapped for cash and need to make further cutbacks to get the salary cap back on their side. That could mean that Gay gets to test the waters in free agency. When he does hit the market, the 49ers should give him a call on a shorter-term deal.
Riley Patterson
Age: 24
Previous team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Another NFL option for San Francisco: Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Riley Patterson.
Patterson made a name for himself in Florida last season, converting on 30 of his 35 field goal tries. Of course you want that number to be in the mid-90s, but for a player just starting out, consistency is the name of the game. Patterson is more accurate with PATs, hitting 36 of 37 attempts in 2022.
His only concern is leg strength, maxing out at 53 yards on a field-goal make last season. That could affect his value is a positive light, however, making it easier for San Francisco to sign him to a long-term deal.
A little more risky than the veteran Gay, but Patterson checks a lot of boxes for the 49ers’ search this offseason.
Jake Moody
Age: 23
Previous team: Michigan Wolverines (College)
When it’s all said and done, the 49ers could find their next kicker in this year’s draft. And the best one of the bunch this time around, is Jake Moody of Michigan.
Moody was one of the best kickers in college football the last two years, scoring 272 points in that timespan. He was also perfect from PATs, hitting 148 in his collegiate career. Moody’s one blemish was field goal percentage in his final season, hitting only 29 of 35 field goal attempts.
That’s 82.9%, not amazing. The previous season: 92%.
If Moody wants to be reliable kicker in the NFL for the next 10 to 15 years, he’ll need to improve on his accuracy. Besides that, the 49ers have every reason to use one of their fifth-round picks on the 23-year-old rookie on a cheap deal for a few seasons.
