Will the 49ers Release Kicker Jake Moody Next?

So far this offseason, the 49ers have gotten rid of practically everyone on special teams except for the one player they really need to cut: Kicker Jake Moody.

The punter is gone. The freaking long snapper is gone. And yet, the kicker who missed almost 30 percent of his field goal attempts last season remains on the roster. But he might not last long with the 49ers according to CBS Sports.

"The 49ers recently signed Greg Joseph to compete with Jake Moody for the kicking job," writes CBS Sports' John Breech. "If Joseph wins the battle, that means Moody will be gone and the 49ers will have turned over three key special teams positions in a single offseason."

So the 49ers most likely will give Moody a chance to compete for the job. That means he probably won't get released before the preseason ends. But if he struggles in the preseason and Joseph kicks well, Moody will be a goner.

The main reason Moody is still on the roster is that the 49ers spent a third-round pick on him in 2023. That's a huge investment in a kicker, an investment I'm confident the 49ers won't make again any time soon. Moody has been a disaster and a head case. He missed a crucial extra point in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl which allowed the Chiefs to force overtime with a field goal of their own.

The 49ers seem scared to cut Moody. Joseph needs to kick just well enough to help them overcome their fears.