After over two years of hesitation, the San Francisco 49ers finally ended the Jake Moody experiment on Tuesday morning. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the 49ers have released Moody, who was a third-round pick by San Francisco in the 2023 draft.
To some, including former wide receiver Deebo Samuel, the time to move on from Moody was a long time ago. Current 49ers players felt the same way as FOX sideline reporter Pam Oliver noted that the sideline was “ticked off” after Moody’s blocked 36-yarder in Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Fortunately, the 49ers have a couple of answers available to them, including Eddy Piñero and Anders Carlson.
49ers Should Call Anders Carlson, Eddy Piñero After Jake Moody’s Release
The first instinct of 49ers fans is to look at the current free agent list of kickers. While there aren’t many names who are still reliable at this point of the season, the best current option is Piñero, who has kicked for the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers during his five-year career
Piñero will never be confused with one of the game’s best kickers. But after making 22-of-26 field goals (84.6%) and 33-of-35 extra points (94.3%) last season, he would be an upgrade on the low bar that Moody set in San Francisco after making just 24-of-34 field goals (70.6%) and 32-of-33 extra points (97.0%) in 2024.
The concern with Piñero is that he wouldn’t be a long-term answer. If the 49ers are looking for more than just a stop gap, they could reunite with a familiar face in Anders Carlson.
Carlson was jettisoned from the Green Bay Packers for similar reasons. He made 27-of-33 field goals (81.8%) and 34-of-39 extra points (87.2%) during his rookie year in 2023, but he was beat out by Brayden Narveson during training camp ahead of the 2024 season. His release sent him to the 49ers when Moody went on the shelf with a high-ankle sprain last October and he represented himself well, making all five field goal attempts including two from over 50 yards and 3-of-4 extra points.
The brother of All-Pro Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson, Anders put together a solid season after landing with the Jets later in the year, finishing the campaign by converting 13-of-15 field goals and 12-of-15 extra points.
If the 49ers want a more veteran option, they can side with Piñero. If they think they can fix Carlson’s issues with extra points, he would also be an adequate solution. But all that matters now is that Moody is gone and San Francisco could finally get over one of the distractions that has been holding them back the past several seasons.