49ers Acquire K Zane Gonzalez From the Panthers

Gonzalez has five years of experience and has been on the Browns, Cardinals, and Panthers.

Another need of the San Francisco 49ers has been addressed.

The Carolina Panthers are trading kicker Zane Gonzalez to the 49ers in a swap of late 2025 compensatory draft picks, per Tom Pelissero. 

Acquiring Gonzalez seals the deal on any chance of Robbie Gould returning to the 49ers. They now have their kicker for 2023 and beyond. Gould had indicated several weeks ago that a return to the 49ers was not on the table. It looks like he was true to his word as the 49ers have gone on to trade for another Panthers player in Gonzalez. 

Gould was likely looking for a lucrative deal for a kicker, while the 49ers were likely only willing to bring him back on a team friendly deal. It shouldn't take too long for Gould to find a landing spot now that is former team has officially found his replacement. At this rate, the 49ers are going to end up as the "San Francisco Panthers" with how players and coaches they are bringing to the team. 

Gonzalez has five years of experience and has been on the Browns, Cardinals, and Panthers. He spent all of 2022 on the Injured Reserve List with a quad injury, but in 2021 he only missed two kicks on 22 field goal attempts with two of his misses coming from over 50 yards. Where he really stems as an upgrade from Gould is with the touchbacks. Last season Gould only achieved a touchback on less than 50 percent of kickoffs. Gonzalez on the other hand was able to get 64 percent of kickoffs to be touchbacks.

A chance for a return and favorable field position should be reduced for the 49ers next season with Gonzalez now in the fold.