The San Francisco 49ers surprised everyone by drafting Jake Moody, a kicker, in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He had a decent rookie season, as he converted 84% of his field goal attempts and had only one miss among attempts of less than 40 yards.
Moody suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals and did not play the next three games. He hasn’t played well since returning from the injury and missed multiple field goal attempts in the 49ers’ loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 17.
49ers Fans Flame Jake Moody for Week 17 MNF Performance
The 49ers lost 40-34 to the Lions on Monday Night Football, and the outcome could have been different if Moody converted his missed field goal attempts.
The kicker, apart from missing 59-yard and 51-yard field goal attempts, also missed a point after touchdown (PAT) and failed while trying an onside kick late in the game. Here is how the fans reacted to the kicker’s performance against the Lions:
“Jake Moody needs to be replaced,” said a fan.
Another fan added, “Fire Jake Moody into the sun.”
Jake Moody a bigger bust than JaMarcus Russell
— 🍉☮️ (@MontaEllis08) December 31, 2024
“Jake Moody, you’re the worst kicker in the NFL,” wrote a fan.
Me evertime Jake Moody kicks the ball pic.twitter.com/HDmIRMHn4Z
— NOT MY PRESIDENT NEVER (@kiko69264573307) December 31, 2024
Before his injury against the Cardinals, Moody converted 13 of his 14 field goal attempts and didn’t miss a single PAT attempt. However, since his return in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the kicker is 10-of-18 on field goal attempts and 17-of-18 on PAT attempts.
Star wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. also lashed out at Moody in the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier in the season after the latter missed three field goal attempts in his first game back from injury.
The fans are upset with his continuous failures on the field and want the team to release him. The 49ers now have to make a tough decision regarding his future, as the franchise wants to compete for the Super Bowl next year and cannot afford to have an inconsistent kicker on the team.
49ers Should Wait Before Releasing Moody
Moody’s performance makes him a deserving candidate for release by the team, but the 49ers should wait before making that decision. Drafting a kicker in the third round of the draft is never a good idea in terms of opportunity cost, but since San Francisco made that decision last year, they should not panic and cut ties with Moody.
The ankle injury has potentially contributed to his poor form, and the franchise should give the player time to heal and then make a judgment. If Moody continues to struggle in training camp for the next season, the 49ers should look to bring in a new kicker.
The main knock against Moody is his ability to hit field goals from beyond the 40-yard range. In two years in the league, he has only missed one field goal attempt of less than 40 yards but has struggled massively on long attempts.
The 49ers have not made the playoffs this season, so it gives them time to decide Moody’s future. The Cincinnati Bengals also had the same issue with Evan McPherson this season, but they have placed him on the injured reserve to give the kicker time to get better.
Before the game against the Lions, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed his faith in Moody. “I believe we’ve got the right guy, and I think that eventually, I think he has shown that at times, thought he showed that at times his rookie year,” said Shanahan per Sports Illustrated. “I thought he showed that big time being [13] out of [14] to start this year. And I think he’ll show us all that in the future.”
The 2024 NFL season has been quite weird for the 49ers, as almost all of their key players have underperformed or gotten hurt. Due to this, general manager John Lynch might hesitate to make decisions based on recent outcomes.