Bradley Pinion Set to Replace Andy Lee as 49ers’ Punter
The San Francisco 49ers‘ revolving door continued to spin on Saturday, as the team traded their punter Andy Lee to the Cleveland Browns for a seventh round pick in 2017. Lee, formerly the longest-tenured 49er, is now the newest Brown. With Lee’s departure, the “open competition” that was supposed to occur between he and rookie Bradley Pinion is closed.
Pinion, this year’s fifth-round pick, has gigantic cleats to fill. Lee is a three-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, and the 49ers’ franchise leader in punts (941), yards per punt average (46.2), net yards average (39.5), and punts inside the 20-yard line (300). Lee also holds the NFL record with 44 net yards per punt in 2011.
With the 49ers’ drafting Pinion 165th overall this year, the first draft pick they’ve used on a punter since Lee way back in 2004, there had to be an inclination that this would happen. Lee probably knew as well, as he was not present at any of the 49ers’ voluntary workouts so far.
More from Golden Gate Sports
- Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
- 49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster moves
- Oakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama
- 49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice
- 49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserve
Money had to play a role as well. The 49ers will save a lot of money by choosing Pinion, and getting Lee’s contract off their books. Lee was slated to make $2.05 million this year, while Pinion will make just $692, 200.
Pinion is no slouch, though. At 6’5″, and about 230 pounds, he looks more like he should be suiting up with the 49ers’ linebackers, replacing Patrick Willis and Chris Borland instead of Lee. He was the number one punter in the nation, according to 247Sports, before posting great numbers at Clemson University, which made him one of the best punting prospects in the nation.
In 2014, Pinion averaged 42.6 yards per punt, fifth in the ACC, but his net average was much better, at 40.3 yards. He pinned 28 punts inside the 20-yard line, breaking his own school record, compared to just two touchbacks.
Pinion’s accuracy is his best weapon. He punted 102 times before recording his first career touchback, and finished his career with just those two touchbacks from 2014. 55 of his 140 career punts were downed inside the 20-yard line. He isn’t just accurate, however. He recorded 17 punts that traveled more than 50 yards.
More from San Francisco 49ers
- 49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster moves
- 49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice
- 49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserve
- 49ers sign TE Daniel Helm off the Buccaneers practice squad
- 49ers: Jordan Reed could miss up to two months, will be placed on IR
The management major also handled kickoff duties during his tenure at Clemson, showing off his versatility. He kicked off 178 times at Clemson, and 102 of those ended up as touchbacks. In 2014, 36 of his 74 kickoffs were touchbacks. Before his days at Clemson, ESPN had Pinion ranked as the third-best kicker in the nation.
Pinion’s ability to kick off could make 40-year-old kicker Phil Dawson expendable as well. Dawson, who will be entering the last year of his two-year deal with the 49ers, is scheduled to make $3.134 million in 2015, along with a $1 million signing bonus.
Even though he’s an old man by NFL standards, Dawson has still been a very effective kicker. In 2014, he made 25 of his 31 attempts, good for 80.6 percent. The year before, he made 32 out of 36 tries. Overall, he’s made 85.1 percent of his kicks in his two years in San Francisco.
Maybe the possible available money will be too much for Jed York and Trent Baalke to ignore. They seem desperate to rid themselves of anyone that can remind them of the Super Bowl team of 2012, and even though Dawson was not part of that team, he still may not be safe. The team could sign a much cheaper kicker, and use that money somewhere else, through a trade possibly.
The team will miss Lee, who was not only a great punter but a great part of the community and the locker room. Pinion may not be able to fill those golden shoes right away, but within a few years, his ability could allow him to develop into an All-Pro punter in his own right.