49ers target Jake Moody replacement with 88-percent FG kicker

Billy Heyen

49ers target Jake Moody replacement with 88-percent FG kicker image

The San Francisco 49ers have their eye on a replacement kicker.

They need one after cutting Jake Moody loose on Tuesday, less than three seasons into his NFL career after being a third-round pick in 2023.

The new option for the 'Niners is Eddy Pineiro. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter wrote this Tuesday: 

"49ers are working out veteran kicker Eddy Pineiro to replace Jake Moody, the 2023 third-round pick who is being waived. Pineiro is visiting the 49ers today."

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Pineiro is a 29-year old (turns 30 on Saturday) kicker from Miami who played his college football at the University of Florida.

He initially entered the NFL as an undrafted player with the Chicago Bears in 2019, when he made 23-of-28 field goal attempts.

Pineiro didn't kick in the league in 2020, then got just a short stint with the Jets in 2021.

For the past three seasons, Pineiro was the Carolina Panthers' kicker, putting up season percentages on FGs of 94.3, 86.2 and 84.6.

For his career, Pineiro has made 88.1% of his field goals and 92.1% of his extra points.

Moody was waived following the biggest kicking rut of his life. He had made just 12 of his last 23 field goal attempts. On Sunday, he missed a 27-yarder, then had a 36-yarder blocked.

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As a rookie in 2023, Moody had made 84% of his field goals.

That was down to 70% in 2024, already too low a number.

And his Week 1 struggles were the final blow in Moody getting the boot.

Pineiro hasn't signed with the 'Niners yet, but he appears to have emerged as the favorite to replace Moody.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle