49ers make change at kicker, acquire Gonzalez
The 49ers ushered out Robbie Gould's six-year tenure Friday by acquiring kicker Zane Gonzalez from the Carolina Panthers. Gonzalez was acquired for a conditional swap of lateround picks in the 2025 draft, the 49ers said.
Gonzalez, who must still pass a physical to complete the trade, was deemed expendable once the Panthers signed Eddie Pineiro to a two-year deal Thursday.
Gould remains on the free agent market that opened last week. He announced March 4 that he would not be re-signing with the 49ers, who still could use one of their 11 picks in next month's draft on a kicker to challenge Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, 27, missed last season with a quadriceps injury.
For the Panthers in 2021, Gonzalez made 20-of-22 field-goal attempts (22-of23 point-after kicks) in 12 games before a quadriceps injury ended his season.
Gonzalez's career totals include an 80.5-percent field-goal accuracy with 91 field goals and 400 points.
Gonzalez has never kicked in the playoffs. But he does moonlight as a kickoff specialist, and that is a trait the 49ers wanted their kicker to have, and what they had in Gould, rather than relegate that chore to punter Mitch Wishnowsky.
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