Gould might return in 2019, he might not. In the meantime, the 49ers need to get a backup plan in place
Robbie Gould requested his trade on Tuesday and that has the placekicker position as a huge question mark for the San Francisco 49ers. Only the 49ers could issue a franchise tag to a kicker and then have them threaten to sit. This does not mean Gould is out as a 49er, there are reports he could still come do the job for 2019, but it’s clear he’s none too happy with this franchise tag business or the fact the 49ers looked to Stephen Gostkowski just in case. Furthermore, Ian Rapoport says the 49ers do not intend on trading Gould. Regardless of the plans, the 49ers need to look at other backup plans.
Gostkowski is gone, so now what can the 49ers look at?
Two names come to mind. Matt Bryant and Phil Dawson. Bryant is coming off a long stint with the Atlanta Falcons and has a great field goal percentage at 86.22. This puts him as the eighth most accurate kicker in NFL history. The concern would be that half of his kicks for the last few years have been in a dome, so he hasn’t had to deal with the weather conditions Levi’s Stadium is going to throw at him, but that kind of accuracy is inspiring. In 2018, he went 20/21 with his only miss coming on a 53-yard field goal in Green Bay. The weather is concerning, but the last time Bryant dipped below 77 percent was 2009. He has experience and accuracy.
Phil Dawson really needs no introduction. He came to the 49ers to fix the missed kicks that cost them games thanks to David Akers. In 2013, his first season, he won the 49er wild card playoff game against the Green Bay Packers with an impressive kick in a climate so cold, field goals were avoided outside of 30 yards. He left for Arizona, and did fine his first year, but 2018 was a huge disappointment with a 62.5 percent field goal percentage, his worst since 2006. The reason to even bring him up is the experience he has at Levi’s Stadium and the weather.
Of course, Robbie Gould still could play in 2019. And while his future is figured out, the 49ers need to get a backup plan in place.
Who’s your kicker?
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