Kicker Jake Moody wasn’t merely a special teams subplot a year ago. Along with Brock Purdy’s surgically repaired elbow and Nick Bosa’s contract holdout, he was a major storyline entering the season.
Kicker Jake Moody was more than just a special teams footnote a year ago. Along with Nick Bosa’s contract stalemate and Brock Purdy’s surgically repaired elbow, he was a major story heading into the season.
When Moody missed two field goals in a Las Vegas preseason game in August, that raised some red flags. And it was brought up once more in Week 6 when he pushed a 41-yard attempt too much to the right with 9 seconds remaining and the 49ers trailing the Cleveland Browns by 2 points.
Mostly, however, Moody was solid, especially for a rookie.
He was 21 of 25 on field goals during the regular season, which put him in 20th place among full-time kickers. He also only missed one of his 61 extra-point attempts.
The postseason was uneventful. He missed a 48-yard field goal against the Detroit Lions and blocked one against the Green Bay Packers in the first game.
In the Super Bowl, he also had a big error that resulted in an extra point being blocked. Special teams coordinator Brian Schneider previously claimed that the blocked extra point was a low kick. The game went into overtime.
But in the crucial game, he also converted field goals from 55 and 53 yards. The 49ers were pleased with their decision to select Moody in the third round since both of his kicks were made with assurance and demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure.
Moody was selected in order to assist the 49ers with their kick coverage issues. Not so much that he had a strong leg that could generate a lot of touchbacks, but more that he could pin opponents into the far corner of the field with his precision kicks.
That was a bad plan. In 2023, the 49ers allowed the third-highest amount of yards on kick returns in the NFL, and they almost lost badly in the postseason. — Barrows, Matt
What a rollercoaster!
Huge Keisean Nixon return, he fumbles, but the Packers jump on it.
: #GBvsSF on FOX
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/yDUx5ZutVa pic.twitter.com/4XUAAV9Qjf— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024
By the numbers
In 2022, the 49ers’ first season under Schneider, the club experienced notable progress on special teams, moving up from No. 24 to No. 13 in projected points added. However, 2023 was a regression year. The 49ers’ deterioration in kick coverage, which saw them fall to No. 30, was the main offender.
49ers’ special teams efficiency
| Phase | 2021 EPA RK | 2022 EPA RK | 2023 EPA RK |
|---|---|---|---|
| #11 | #31 | #25 | |
| #7 | #18 | #16 | |
| #26 | #24 | #30 | |
| #32 | #21 | #17 | |
| #18 | #9 | #12 | |
| #24 | #13 | #24 |
The 49ers performed the best, ranking No. 12 in EPA, at punt returns. However, a mistake during this part of the game that resulted in a punt by the Kansas City Chiefs that rebounded off rookie Darrell Luter Jr.’s knee might have cost the 49ers the Super Bowl. Ray-Ray McCloud, the returner, was unable to recover the muff, and the Chiefs scored right away to tie the score.
The superb punt coverage job was overshadowed by the Super Bowl defeat. Two punts were downed by gunner Chris Conley deep in Kansas City territory. Mitch Wishnowsky’s punts were downed within the 20-yard line on 52.5 percent of his attempts overall. In the NFL, that was the highest rate.
The 49ers, who rank No. 17 in EPA, also had their best kickoff return score in a number of seasons. They did not do much in that phase (McCloud’s 23 yards per return was No. 28), but they did not make any errors. And that was beneficial, particularly in light of the 49ers’ previous major errors (2021 saw them mishandle several kickoff returns).
In 2024, Charlie Woerner, one of the 49ers’ greatest players on special teams, will need to be replaced. With 410 special teams snaps and 11 tackles last season, the tight end led the team before leaving for the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. — Lombardi David
Offseason plan
For the second time in three offseasons, the 49ers revamped their return and coverage units.
The 49ers believed that the acquisition of Schneider as their special teams coordinator and the inclusion of new players like George Odum, Oren Burks, Talanoa Hufanga, and McCloud would help them as the 2022 season drew near.
Odum has been among the best special teams tacklers in the NFL the last two seasons, while McCloud given the 49ers return game a boost. Overall though, the 49ers have not had a punt or kick return for a touchdown since Richie James’ 97-yard return in 2018. The kickoff coverage has been as slack as it has ever been in recent seasons.
Recently, additional special team members have been added to assist with those units, including the updated kickoff regulations. Ezekiel Turner and Chase Lucas, free agents, will be a part of this group and will be paired with veterans like Odum, Dee Winters, and Jordan Mason on coverage units.
In addition, the 49ers need to find a replacement for McCloud, who signed a free agent deal to go to Atlanta. Potential punt returners are Ronnie Bell, Ricky Pearsall, Trent Taylor, and Jacob Cowing. Kick comes back? The 49ers will be testing the new regulations this summer, and among the players handling the ball will be Cowing and Isaac Guerendo, a fourth-round draft pick. — Barrows
2024 outlook
In light of their dismal EPA rankings for kickoffs and kick returns during the previous three seasons, the 49ers ought to welcome the significant regulation revisions that take effect in 2024. With a new configuration that should feature more close-quarters fighting reminiscent of a typical play from scrimmage, perhaps their physically strong lineup can flourish.
“It’s exciting. I mean, I’m fired up,” Schneider said in May. “This is the coolest thing to happen in my coaching career because — what do you do? You have a great opportunity to do something that’s never been done before. So it’s a race to figure it out.”
We will see what the 49ers’ testing produces in the upcoming months. Is it possible that Christian McCaffrey or Deebo Samuel Sr. will return kicks? This rule adjustment was prompted by the idea that it would bring interest to a play that the NFL had declared to be dead.
Any change that encourages the 49ers to play their stars will inevitably benefit this team. Both their offense and defense have improved in recent seasons. To locate a season in which the 49ers finished in the lower half of the league in any of those two periods, one needs travel back to 2020. However, the group’s performance on special teams has not been nearly as stellar.
49ers’ special teams DVOA by year
| Year | DVOA | RANK |
|---|---|---|
| 2.7% | #11 | |
| 0.3% | #14 | |
| 1.0% | #12 | |
| -2.1% | #24 | |
| -2.4% | #27 | |
| 0.2% | #15 | |
| -2.0% | #25 |
The Super Bowl offered as a timely reminder that special teams may make or break even the smallest margins, which can mean the difference between happiness and sadness. Here’s where the 49ers can make up some ground. There are great risks involved, and every yard counts.
(Photo of Jake Moody: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
