SANTA CLARA — The 49ers solved their kicker situation on Day 2 of the NFL Draft with the selection of strong-legged Michigan product Jake Moody.
Or so they thought.
Now, two weeks before the regular-season opener, the 49ers’ kicking game — Life After Robbie Gould — is an absolute mess.
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Moody and veteran Zane Gonzalez are both injured and might not be available when the 49ers open the season on Sunday, Sept. 10, against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gould, the most accurate kicker in 49ers history, remains available as a free agent. Gould is certain his career is not over, and he probably is not looking for a temporary job.
“I'm sure everyone's a possibility, but that's stuff we haven't discussed, yet,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said about the possibility of pursuing Gould.
Moody, who looked rattled and shaky in the 49ers’ first two preseason games, sustained a strain to his right quadriceps this week during practice.
San Francisco 49ers
Moody, whom the 49ers selected with the No. 99 overall pick in the draft, was not available to kick in the 49ers’ preseason finale on Friday night. His status for the beginning of the regular season is uncertain.
“That's week-to-week right now,” Shanahan said. “We're hoping that he can have a chance for Week 1. He ended up straining his quad last week in practice. We'll see how his body reacts to it.”
Because the 49ers kept two kickers during training camp, the next leg up was obvious. Except, Gonzalez sustained a calf injury during warmups at Levi’s Stadium.
Now, the 49ers will “most likely” have to look for another kicker, Shanahan said.
“We definitely got to have a Plan B for Week 1,” Shanahan said. “Zane could have been that, but he's probably not going to be ready for Week 1 looking at what happened to him (Friday).”
Plan C, anybody?