Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) sits on the bench after missing a field goal during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The San Francisco 49ers kicker competition basically ended before it began as the team released veteran Greg Joseph due to a roster crunch.
There may be a pretty simple reason why Jake Moody ended up “winning” the competition.
David Lombardi of the San Francisco Standard noted on social media that Moody is under contract through 2026. Having a kicker under control is a nice luxury to have since they would not have to worry about having to retain their kicker until that offseason.
On the flip side, Joseph was only inked to a one-year contract, so even if he had an excellent year, the Niners would have had to worry about keeping him around in the offseason, which is something they may not want to deal with.
Of course, some would argue the contracts do not matter at all. The decision should come down to who the team thinks will make more kicks and give them the best chance to win this season.
This is a more than fair stance, but there is risk involved in letting Moody go. We know he struggled last season and had some shaky moments in his rookie season as well. However, one cannot deny the raw talent is still there. He has a big leg and we know he is capable of making clutch kicks in big situations.
It seems to boil down to a mental issue for Moody. Last year, he suffered the ankle injury that may have messed with his head more than anything else as he missed way too many kicks after returning from that injury. His 70.6 make percentage is simply not going to cut it this season.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan did not give a ringing endorsement of Moody as he announced the move. He clearly wants to think about special teams as little as possible but also made clear the door is open to bringing in another kicker if Moody struggles in training camp or the preseason.
Many fans understandably wanted a fresh slate after the intense struggles the team experienced on special teams last season. New special teams coordinator Brant Boyer already has a new punter, new long-snapper, and new holder from last year, so it seemed like it was trending towards a new kicker as well.
Yet, Moody still has the job.
The fact that he was a third-round pick means San Francisco may want to save the embarrassment of moving on from him so soon after drafting him. If it had been a Trey Lance-Brock Purdy situation and a young kicker had come in last year while Moody was hurt and made everything, then maybe things would be different.
But for now, Moody is the guy because the Niners can control him for longer and doesn’t want to give up on him just yet.
