Jake Moody’s Future in San Francisco Looks Secure Despite Preseason Struggles
The San Francisco 49ers front office has confirmed its plan with Jake Moody for the upcoming season.
This decision could determine the outcome of multiple key games this season.
Based on Lynch's comments, Moody's future in SF looks secure
49ers general manager John Lynch said Jake Moody's preseason performances were enough to secure his spot as the team's kicker.
The third-rounder competed with Greg Joseph for the starting job but impressed Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan enough to retain the role.
"Well, I think I think it was an excellent competition between him and [K Greg] Joseph," Lynch told the media after announcing their 53-man roster. "I think Kyle spoke to, we didn't want that competition to end, but anyone who says it wasn't a competition, I don't really agree. I think the coaches, the special teams coaches, are always charting everything. So, you see what you see in front of everyone and then they're doing things to the side. Jake had a really good preseason.
"I found it interesting after having a hell of a game in Las Vegas that a lot of people still have questions. I guess that when you had a season like he did last year, those things are going to be there until you kind of put that away. We've got a lot of belief in him and understand that last year was rough, but that happens in guys' careers.
"Our confidence and belief in him is what we see out here. I will say everything's earned in this League and everyone's got to go prove it each and every game, each and every year. So, Jake understands that."
What does the front office see that we don't?
Even after Moody nailed a 59-yard field goal to win the 49ers’ second preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, he still showed moments of unpredictability when called upon.
By clearly committing to Moody for the upcoming season, the 49ers may have made a decision that could come back to haunt them.
A 70.6% completion rate in 2024 cannot be replicated. This statistic in itself is a worrying sign.
It's even worth mentioning that over the nine days of training camp practices before they released Joseph, he had converted more field goals.
Joseph successfully hit 22 of 24 field goal attempts, while Moody made 21 of 24.
Although this took place on a football training field with no pressure, Moody lost the competition yet was still chosen.
Moody undoubtedly has additional time this season to shift public perception, and one can only hope he capitalizes on it
