HEADLINES

Jake Moody

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, 49ers, Higbee

November 20th, 2024 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Signed to similar contracts during the summer of 2022, Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf have each become two of the NFL’s better wide receivers — each being chosen in the 2019 second round. The Seahawks nabbed Metcalf at No. 64 via trade-up, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes the team had aimed to first draft Samuel at No. 35. GM John Schneider had worked out a trade-up from No. 37 to No. 35, via the Raiders, but Schefter adds the Silver and Black backed out of the deal. The Raiders instead dealt with the Jaguars, who drafted Jawaan Taylor at 35. The 49ers chose Samuel at 36.

The Seahawks still do not know why the Raiders reneged on the trade, Schefter adds. The Seahawks initially held a higher second-round choice than the Jags, who picked at 38. After Samuel went off the board, Seattle dealt 37 to Carolina (Greg Little) and drafted safety Marquise Blair at No. 47. The Seahawks had planned to pair Samuel and Metcalf, rather than the Ole Miss product — who famously fell to No. 64 after having teams divided during the pre-draft process — being a Samuel fallback option. Though, Metcalf as a WR contingency plan — with Doug Baldwin retirement rumors circulating during the draft — rather than pairing him with Samuel makes a bit more sense due to Tyler Lockett being just 27 at the time. Samuel and Metcalf are going into the final year of their contracts; each team rebuffed trade offers this year.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • Samuel’s San Francisco status may have changed once Brandon Aiyuk suffered an ACL tear. The older 49ers WR had been a rumored 2025 trade chip, as the team prepares for a Brock Purdy payday. Although some around the league have wondered if the 49ers will pay Purdy the going rate (mentioning a Kirk Cousins trade as a backup plan), The Athletic’s Matt Barrows expects Purdy to indeed receive a top-market deal from San Francisco. Purdy going from Mr. Irrelevant to a deal in the $55-$60MM-per-year range would represent one of the most dramatic rises in NFL history; the 2025 offseason is the window for that to happen.
  • Staying on the 49ers-in-2025 theme, the team has seen promising early returns from second-round rookie Renardo Green. The 49ers have viewed Green as a player who can work inside and on the perimeter; that matches Deommodore Lenoir‘s profile. Lenoir is now signed long term, but All-Pro Charvarius Ward is in a contract year. With Lenoir locked in, Ward appears headed back to free agency. As such, Barrows adds Green should be considered the favorite to start opposite Lenoir on the boundary in 2025. Pro Football Focus rates Green as the sixth-best CB regular this season, albeit on only 298 snaps.
  • While Sean McVay said right tackle Rob Havenstein could be back this week, the eighth-year Rams HC indicated (via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop) Tyler Higbee remains weeks away from returning. Higbee is still rehabbing the ACL and MCL tears sustained during the Rams’ wild-card loss to the Lions. The ninth-year tight end remains on Los Angeles’ reserve/PUP list. Havenstein has missed the Rams’ past two games with an ankle issue.
  • Jake Moody missed time due to injury this season, being one of three 49ers kickers to go down, and did not impress upon return. Moody missed three field goals against the Buccaneers, prompting a heated Samuel to take issue with the recovered kicker (and long snapper Taybor Pepper). John Lynch said later the 49ers have not considered replacing Moody. “We didn’t blink,” Lynch told KNBR (h/t The Athletic’s David Lombardi). “We have a lot of faith in this kid. We all have rough days. There’s a lot of context to put in these things and Jake has earned a lot of respect from this organization.” Moody’s third-round contract runs through 2026.

49ers Place S Talanoa Hufanga On IR; K Jake Moody An IR Candidate

October 9th, 2024 at 3:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 9: The 49ers are following through with an IR move for one of these regulars. Hufanga is heading back to IR, the team announced. Finishing last season sidelined due to an ACL tear, Hufanga is expected back this season. But the All-Pro safety will be shut down for at least four games. The 49ers signed tight end Brayden Willis from their practice squad to take Hufanga’s roster spot.

OCTOBER 8: Talanoa Hufanga has managed to make a pair of appearances this season for the 49ers, but his next game action will come after a notable absence. The All-Pro safety is dealing with ligament damage in his wrist, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday.

[RELATED: 49ers Place Yetur Gross-Matos On IR]

As a result, Hufanga is facing an absence of roughly one month. A stint on injured reserve would ensure at least a four-game absence, making that a consideration in this case. Shanahan added (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) the team has yet to decide if an IR stint will be in store.

In either case, today’s news is unwelcomed given Hufanga’s importance to the 49ers’ secondary and his missed time from last year. The 25-year-old suffered a torn ACL in November, limiting him to 10 regular season games and sidelining him for San Francisco’s run to the Super Bowl. Hufanga was activated from the PUP list at the end of the summer, though, making him eligible to play within the first four weeks of the campaign upon returning to practice.

The former fifth-rounder made his season debut in Week 3 before missing the following contest. Hufanga then suffered his latest injury early in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, a game which dropped the 49ers’ record to 2-3. Rebounding from that poor start will be challenging as the team deals with several key absences on defense.

In other injury news, kicker Jake Moody – who is dealing with a high ankle sprain – is facing a similar recovery timeline, per Shanahan. He too could land on IR, something which would result in an extended audition period for the team’s new kicker. Matthew Wright is now in place as Moody’s replacement, having agreed to a practice squad deal earlier today.

The 49ers designated defensive tackle ​Kalia Davis for return from IR before the roster cutdown deadline. That move used one of their eight activations for the year (although Davis has not yet been brought back into the fold), with running back Christian McCaffrey, cornerback Ambry Thomas and Jon Feliciano all still on injured reserve. First-round rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall remains on the reserve/NFI list for now; all four members of that group will use up an activation once they are healthy. The 49ers must therefore be careful with IR designations moving forward, but one or both of Hufanga and Moody could be shelved for four games soon.

49ers’ Jake Moody Suffers High Ankle Sprain

October 6th, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Jake Moody was carted off the field after attempting a tackle on a kickoff return in the first half, sidelining him for the remainder of the game. He was replaced by punter Mitch Wishnowsky, who converted a 26-yard field goal before halftime but did not attempt a kick in the second half. This hindered the 49ers in a narrow loss to the Cardinals.

San Francisco’s kicker suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. This injury is to Moody’s right kicking leg and introduces a scenario in which the 49ers will need to add a kicker. Moody is expected to miss multiple games, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.

Moody’s injury certainly impacted Kyle Shanahan‘s decision-making as the 49ers attempted to hold onto a 23-10 halftime lead. The 49ers tried to convert for a fourth-and-23 from the Cardinals’ 27-yard line in the third quarter instead of sending Wishnowsky out for a 44-yard field goal attempt. Brock Purdy‘s pass fell incomplete, and the Cardinals took advantage of the opportunity with a touchdown drive that cut the lead to three points.

Moody was wearing a walking boot following the game, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. The second-year kicker told media in the locker room that he would get an MRI to determine the severity of his injury. Chosen in Round 3 last year, the Michigan alum played in every 49ers game as a rookie.

“It rolled underneath me, spun a little farther than it should. Nothing’s broken thankfully,” said Moody, via KNBR. 

With a visit to Seattle on Thursday night ahead, the 49ers will need to move quickly to evaluate their kicking situation and sign a stop-gap replacement for Moody if needed. Shanahan pointed to a replacement coming in.

“They’ll work on that stuff right away,” said Shanahan in his postgame press conference. “We’ll get them in as fast as possible, and pick the best guy we can.”

The Cardinals faced a kicker crisis of their own this week with veteran Matt Prater dealing with a left knee injury. Arizona signed ex-Patriots kicker Chad Ryland to its practice squad on Wednesday and elevated him for Sunday’s game. Ryland made three of his four field goal attempts against the 49ers, including a 35-yard game-winner with 1:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. Prater remains on the Cardinals’ 53-man roster, with the team going with two kickers for the time being. The 49ers will need to weigh Moody’s recovery timetable with other roster needs, as a Moody IR move would sideline him for four games.

49ers Place Nick Bosa On Reserve/Did Not Report List, Pare Roster To 53

August 29th, 2023 at 9:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers joined the Chiefs in placing their best defensive player on the reserve/did not report list due to a holdout and joined the other 30 teams in finalizing their 53-man roster. Some changes are expected, with veterans pledged to stay. But here is how the 49ers reached 53:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on reserve/did not report list:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

The 49ers are planning to re-sign Hyder and Bryant once they make other roster moves, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Both are vested veterans who are not subject to waivers. With Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu gone, Hyder figures to be a key piece as a rotational defensive end. He is with the 49ers for the third time in four seasons. After an 8.5-sack slate in 2020, Hyder signed with the Seahawks. But Seattle released him in 2021, leading the veteran back to the Bay Area.

San Francisco’s 53-man roster will include Bosa soon, and this holdout does not appear as contentious as the Chris Jones-Chiefs standoff. John Lynch has indicated the 49ers will waive Bosa’s fines for missing training camp — an option the 49ers have due to Bosa being tied to a rookie contract. While the 49ers changed defensive coordinators, bringing in Steve Wilks to replace DeMeco Ryans, D-line coach Kris Kocurek remains in place. Bosa should be able to hit the ground running once he returns, though the 49ers are running short on time here.

Gonzalez suffered a calf injury Kyle Shanahan said would keep him out a few weeks. With the veteran landing on IR, an injury settlement is likely. The 49ers used a third-round pick on Michigan kicker Jake Moody, but Barrows notes the strained quadriceps injury he suffered may keep him out of Week 1. On that note, the 49ers worked out Tristan Vizcaino and Taylor Russolino, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. Robbie Gould, the 49ers’ kicker for the past six seasons, remains unsigned.

49ers To Work Out Multiple Kickers

August 27th, 2023 at 11:03am CST by Rory Parks

The 49ers do not know who their placekicker will be when they open the regular season against the Steelers on September 10, as ESPN’s Nick Wagoner details. The club did not make an effort to re-sign longtime kicker Robbie Gould this offseason but did acquire veteran Zane Gonzalez via trade and selected Jake Moody in the third round of the 2023 draft (thereby making Moody just the second kicker in the past 15 years to be taken within the draft’s top 100 picks).

Unfortunately, Gonzalez and Moody have both sustained injuries that threaten their Week 1 availability. Given the draft capital the team invested into him, Moody has been viewed as the presumptive starter, and he has performed well in practice, converting most of his field goal attempts (including multiple attempts from over 60 yards). He has struggled in preseason action, however, missing two FG attempts against the Raiders — though one was a 58-yard try — and an extra point against the Broncos.

Wagoner writes that Moody left Wednesday’s practice early, and the Michigan product is considered week-to-week with a right quadriceps injury. In light of Moody’s ailment, it appeared as if Gonzalez would have a chance to make a case for himself in San Francisco’s preseason finale against the Chargers on Friday, but he suffered a strained calf that kept him out of the game. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Gonzalez’s injury will cost him multiple weeks, and given that he was facing an uphill battle to make the club anyway, it seems he is not long for the 49ers’ roster.

The Niners obviously need to make at least a short-term addition, and Shanahan said the team will work out multiple kickers this week. Gould, 40, recently said that he has spoken with several teams and is remaining patient as he looks for the right fit. It is unclear whether he would entertain a reunion with San Francisco given the presence of Moody, though Shanahan would not rule it out.

“We’re discussing everything and just being ready for any possibility to maneuver this roster however, but we really don’t know what direction we’re gonna go until time takes care of that,” Shanahan said.

K Robbie Gould Has Talked With Teams, Intends To Keep Playing

July 15th, 2023 at 11:20am CST by Ben Levine

Robbie Gould‘s stint with the 49ers came to an unceremonious end this offseason, but the veteran kicker is still open to work. The 40-year-old free agent told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area that he’s talked with several teams and is remaining patient as he awaits his next gig.

“I know training camp is coming up and I’m ready for the next opportunity,” Gould said. “And I’m sure these teams will give these young kids a chance and find out who has a chance to compete. I think things will get a lot more serious. But, yeah, I’m ready to go and looking forward to the next season.”

Despite being one of the oldest active players in the NFL last season, Gould still showed that he’s got plenty left in the tank. He got into all 17 games for the 49ers, connecting on 84.4 percent of his field goal attempts and 50 of his 51 extra point tries. He was also perfect in the playoffs, connecting on all eight of his field goal attempts and all five of his XP tries.

While Gould was a productive option for the 49ers in 2022, the kicker announced after the season that his tenure with the organization had ended and he’d be seeking a new landing spot this offseason. According to the veteran, the change wasn’t his decision.

“I would’ve loved to have gone back there,” Gould said. “I told them I wanted to go back there. We never got an offer from the team and we never had a conversation about coming back.”

The 49ers made it clear that they were pivoting towards the future during the draft. The organization first selected Michigan’s Jake Moody in the third round, making him only the second kicker (along with Roberto Aguayo) in the past 15 years to be selected in the top-100. The organization also pulled off an offseason trade for Zane Gonzalez, setting up a competition at the position.

As a result, there would have been little room for Gould in San Francisco’s kickers room. Ultimately, the former Pro Bowler’s stint with the 49ers lasted six seasons, and he’ll leave the franchise ranked fourth in all-time scoring (704 points).

Considering Gould’s apparent desire to continue his playing career, it shouldn’t take all that long for him to find a new job. With 266 career regular season games under his belt, a front office will surely come knocking if their younger options show some cracks during training camp or the preseason.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/10/23

May 10th, 2023 at 7:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Teams are moving quickly on inking their Day 3 draftees to their four-year rookie deals, with this process involving a slot system that does not feature many complications for late-round players. Here are the latest such agreements to commence:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Johnson transferred back to the west coast after a freshman year at Miami (FL). He established himself as one of the most versatile players in the country while in Eugene, contributing for the Ducks on defense as an edge rusher and on offense as a tight end. Carolina drafted him for his defensive potential.

Moody is the expected replacement for Robbie Gould, who departed in free agency this spring after six years with San Francisco. Likewise, New England moved on from punter Jake Bailey after a couple of internal disagreements. Baringer is expected to take over for the one-time All-Pro punter.