49ers Sign Eddy Pineiro Hours After Waiving Jake Moody
San Francisco added veteran kicker Eddy Pineiro following Week 1 miscues by Jake Moody and placed tight end George Kittle on injured reserve amid other injury concerns.
The San Francisco 49ers moved quickly Tuesday, signing veteran kicker Eddy Pineiro hours after waiving Jake Moody following Moody’s struggles in the season-opening win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Moody missed a 27-yard field goal and had a 36-yard attempt blocked during the game, plays that drew visible frustration on the sideline. Fox sideline reporter Pam Oliver said the misses prompted “two thrown helmets and a lot of ticked-off looking players.” The team announced Moody’s release Tuesday and brought in Pineiro, who reportedly worked out for the 49ers earlier that day.
Pineiro, 29, spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Panthers and converted 92 percent of his field-goal attempts during that span. He previously had stints with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears. The signing came after head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday the team was exploring options at kicker. “There’s options, just whether it’s stay the status quo, bringing in guys for workouts, practice squad, but we’re going through all that stuff right now,” Shanahan said. “I know the personnel department is going to look into all that stuff and give us those options.”
The move capped a day of roster activity for the 49ers, who also placed Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle on injured reserve after he hurt his hamstring in the first half against Seattle. Kittle finished the half with four catches for 25 yards and a touchdown. With four games scheduled over the next 23 days, San Francisco can activate Kittle as soon as its Oct. 12 matchup in Tampa Bay.
Several other offensive injury questions lingered. Scans on receiver Jauan Jennings’ left shoulder were reported as clean after he was injured in the fourth quarter Sunday; Shanahan called Jennings day-to-day and said he could play in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints pending a CT scan. Quarterback Brock Purdy is being monitored for a shoulder and a toe injury he sustained in the opener. Shanahan said Tuesday, “I’d probably say the toe’s worse than the shoulder. … We’ve got to see how it heals and how the week goes.” If Purdy is unable to play, Shanahan said backup Mac Jones would step into the starting role. “If [Jones] has to go this week, he’ll lead the guys. The guys will believe in him and I know he’ll do his job at a high level,” the coach said.
The 49ers’ swift decision to replace a kicker after Week 1 underscores the premium teams place on immediate reliability in the kicking game and the low margin for error early in the NFL season. Pineiro arrives with recent success on field goals, but the 49ers will evaluate him in practice and in game-day conditions as they prepare for their road game in New Orleans.
San Francisco’s front office and coaching staff now must manage roster spots and practice reps while integrating Pineiro and handling the short-term absences of key offensive players. The team’s handling of the kicking job, as well as updates on Purdy, Jennings and Kittle, are likely to shape the 49ers’ preparations for Week 2 and the early stretch of the regular season.