One Position Battle the 49ers Might've Prematurely Ended

I guess the 49ers had seen enough.

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) prepares to kick a field goal against the Arizona Cardinals during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Competition has been emphasized since the start of training camp for the San Francisco 49ers.

It’s barely been two weeks since camp started, so more time is needed before the coaches start closing in on who the starters are.

However, it seems the 49ers have prematurely ended one position battle already. The 49ers announced that they released kicker Greg Joseph.

That would indicate that the kicker competition is finished with Jake Moody as the victor. It’s strange that the 49ers have come to a decision already.

Is the competition truly over?

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) looks on prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Head coach Kyle Shanahan has stressed the importance of having a competition for Moody. You would think that using most, if not all, of training camp would be necessary.

Barely any time has passed in camp, yet it seems the 49ers are content. It’s extremely odd, given how special teams coordinator Brant Boyer spoke on the kicker competition two days ago.

“I think they're really close,” said Boyer. “I think that they're both doing a great job. There’s not a ton of separation there. Both of them rebounded from some days that they could have kicked better, and I thought they kicked pretty solid today. 

“It's just a matter of who's going to execute when the game comes down to it, and they're competing. They're doing everything we're asking them to do, and we’re looking forward to see how it's going to shake out.”

Shanahan is scheduled to speak today following training camp practice. He will be asked about the kicker competition and if they have declared it officially over.

Their actions essentially say it’s over, but there is an alternative. The 49ers' releasing Joseph could be because they are desperate for players.

So many players have been sustaining injuries lately. The 49ers are running thin on players, especially at this rate. and 

With the Denver Broncos arriving Thursday for joint practice, the 49ers needed to release Joseph to sign another player at a more integral position.

Another possibility is that Joseph asked for his release. Rather than wait for the 49ers to decide in a few weeks, he wanted to depart now to find a team with a vacant spot.

It wouldn’t have made sense to keep him after that because his heart wouldn’t have been in it. So, it’s better to grant his request if that is what happened.

Clarity on this situation will be gained soon when Shanahan hits the podium.

---