The 49ers Sign Veteran Punter Thomas Morstead

The 49ers' special-team overhaul continues.

Oct 6, 2024; Tottenham, ENG; New York Jets Special Teams Thomas Morstead (6) during a practice session for the match against Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shaun Brooks-Imagn Images | Shaun Brooks-Imagn Images

The 49ers' special-team overhaul continues.

Veteran punter Thomas Morstead just announced on social media that he has signed with the 49ers. He will try to bolster a unit that was arguably the worst in the entire NFL last season. Morstead played the past two seasons with the New York Jets under current 49ers special teams coach Brant Boyer.

Since the end of last season, the 49ers have hired a new special teams coach (Boyer), signed a new longsnapper (Jon Weeks), and a new kicker (Greg Joseph). All three of them were on the Jets last year. That's their connection. The 49ers also have signed core special teamers such as Siran Neal, Richie Grant and Luke Gifford.

The strange thing about this overhaul is that the new additions are old. Morstead turned 39 in March. Weeks turned 39 in February. And Joseph will be 31 in August. So they're not long-term solutions. They're band-aids.

Which doesn't bode well for incumbent punter Mitch Wishnowsky. He missed the final eight games with a back injury and he recently turned 32. Perhaps his future is in question.

Or maybe the 49ers just want a punter with a stronger leg. While Wishnowsky is excellent at landing punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, Morstead punts the ball farther than him. Maybe the 49ers envision doing lots of punting from deep inside their own territory next season.

Whatever the 49ers' plans for Morstead are, it's hard to say he makes the team better. They certainly have made lots of moves on special teams, but they seem like lateral moves at best.