Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Saturday, March 25th, 2023
“One thing that’s crucial for any kicker joining the 49ers is taking kickoff responsibilities. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky has struggled in that aspect and Gould, not exactly a power kicker, had the fifth-lowest touchback percentage in the league last year at 44.35 percent. Gonzalez had a 64 percent touchback rate in 2021, which would rank tied for 13th last season.”
“The 49ers are scheduled to begin their offseason program at the team’s headquarters in Santa Clara on April 17.”
“Gonzalez rewrote the FBS record book during his college career at Arizona State. His 96 career field goals and 494 total points set all-time FBS records that have since been broken. Other records tied or broken by Gonzalez included being the first kicker in FBS to connect on 20 or more field goals in four seasons, most field goal attempts (115), and most records set by a kicker (six) while also matching the mark for field goals of 50 or more yards in a single game (three). Gonzalez was the 2016 winner of the Lou Groza Award, given to the top placekicker in college football, and was a unanimous All-American as a senior.”
“That should change this season, as the 49ers expect him to insert himself into the mix for a key role on the team.”
The 49ers’ salary-cap health and what’s next in their roster construction (paywall)
“The departures, or at least a large chunk of them, were necessary for the 49ers to maintain a calculated position of salary-cap sustainability. They have $6 million of 2023 cap space with more work still to do.”
Here’s the kicker, maybe: 49ers acquire Zane Gonzalez from Panthers (paywall)
“Given the modest price the 49ers paid to acquire Gonzalez, along with his career bio, it’s not a certainty that he’ll replace Gould. The 2017 seventh-round pick has made 91 of 113 field-goal attempts in a career that has included stops with the Browns and Cardinals.”
49ers met with Utah OT Braeden Daniels at NFL Scouting Combine
““[Utah]’s Braeden Daniels is one of the most versatile and experienced OL in the 2023 NFL Draft. There’s so much interest in Daniels,” wrote Melo.”
Branch: 49ers cornerback Isaiah Oliver has found a home after bumpy NFL start (paywall)
“He played one of the best defensive-back games I’ve been around,” said Atlanta defensive coordinator Dean Pees, 73, an 18-season NFL veteran…The good game, which was the penultimate of the regular season, came at a good time. It signaled to NFL teams that Oliver, 26, appeared to be fully recovered from a torn ACL that sidelined him for 13 months and the season’s first five games in a contract year.”
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