The 49ers have been hit hard by injuries as the team could be forced to turn to a third kicker in just seven games.
Injuries are piling up for the San Francisco 49ers. Superstar running back Christian McCaffrey deservedly gets the lion’s share of attention. McCaffrey has missed the first six weeks of the season with Achilles tendonitis and still has no set date for a return. Jordan Mason has filled in admirably for McCaffrey but he got banged up in Week 6. Mason sprained his AC joint against the Seattle Seahawks, putting his availability for Week 7 in jeopardy.
While running back remains a major question mark for the 49ers, the team is also dealing with a string of injuries to its kickers. Second-year kicker Jake Moody hurt his ankle in San Francisco’s Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. With Moody expected to miss multiple games, the team signed journeyman Matthew Wright to replace him. But Wright was injured in his 49ers debut in Week 6, prompting the team to add yet another kicker.
San Francisco has signed former Green Bay Packers kicker Anders Carlson, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein on X. Carlson was added to the practice squad as the 49ers hold out hope that Wright is able to take the field in Week 7.
The 49ers add yet another kicker due to injury
Both Moody and Wright were injured while attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff. But while Moody injured his ankle, Wright dislocated his shoulder. Both sound unpleasant but a kicker is more reliant on his ankles than his shoulders. So, for the time being, Carlson is just insurance. He will be elevated to the team’s active roster if Wright is unable to suit up.
The 49ers would prefer to have Wright available for a huge matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The sixth-year veteran was 3/3 on field goal attempts with a long of 41 in San Francisco’s Week 6 win over the Seahawks. Wright also converted all three of his extra point tries.
The 49ers are familiar with their newest kicker as Carlson missed a 41-yard field goal in the Divisional Round of the playoffs between San Francisco and the Packers last year. The kick would have extended Green Bay’s lead to seven late in the fourth quarter. However, after the miss, the 49ers went on to score the game-winning touchdown, knocking the Packers out of the playoffs. Green Bay cut Carlson prior to the 2024 season.
In addition to Carlson, the 49ers are also expected to sign ex-Packer safety Adrian Amos. The team needed reinforcements in the secondary after All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga suffered torn ligaments in his wrist and is expected to miss significant time.
