49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said the team would look to add a veteran kicker post-draft
The Baltimore Ravens have released one of the best kickers of our generation in Justin Tucker. General manager Eric DeCosta called it a “football decision,” despite Tucker being accused of inappropriate behavior by 16 massage therapists.
The 8-time All-Pro kicker would need to have his off-field issues sorted out before his next team was to sign Tucker, who is coming off the worst season of his career. Tucker, 35, made 73 percent of his kicks last season, including going 11-for-19 from 40+ yards.
Kyle Shanahan said the team intended to sign a kicker once the draft had concluded. The Niners didn’t add a kicker in the UDFA pool. Nick Folk, Matt Prater, and Eddy Pineiro are all veteran options, but neither can hold a candle to Tucker’s resume. Neither are in the potential legal trouble Tucker faces, either.
The only reason we’re discussing this is because Jake Moody fell flat on his face in his second season as a pro. Moody made 70 percent of his kicks but was dreadful on the road. Can he turn it around? Sure. But the 49ers figure to be competitive next season. Having a kicker who is a coin flip from 40+ yards is asking to lose a game or two. That’s the only reason the 49ers should consider Tucker — under the assumption that the legal cloud hovering over him clears.
If you were John Lynch, what would you do?