Kicker Robbie Gould is one of several San Francisco 49ers players scheduled to hit free agency on March 13. He is unlikely to become available, though, according to a report by NBC Sports Bay Area. The 49ers are expected to use the franchise tag on their kicker of the past two seasons, keeping him with the team on a one-year contract, if a new deal cannot be reached.
The franchise tag number for kickers in 2019 is expected to be around $5 million, a figure the 49ers can easily manage given their estimated $65 million in salary cap space. NFL teams can begin designating their franchise tags on Tuesday.
Using the franchise tag on Gould would not be unexpected. It would give the 49ers another season to figure out what to do at the position in the long run.
The Chicago Bears are one team expected to make a run at Gould should he become available. The 49ers kicker calls Chicago home and is building a house for his family in the area. Head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked earlier this month about Gould's love for his hometown.
"I know Robbie had a great time in Chicago," Shanahan said on 670 The Score. "It's where he started his career. Any time you spend a lot of time somewhere, especially where your family is from, that's always going to mean a lot to you. That doesn't surprise me at all. I expect it.
"I'm also expecting and looking forward to having Robbie back in a Niners uniform next year."
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Shanahan's statements were reason enough to believe the 49ers would be willing to use the franchise tag on Gould to keep him in San Francisco another year.
Gould has been the most accurate kicker in the NFL over the past two seasons. He completed 33-of-34 field goal attempts and 27-of-29 extra points during the 2018 season, his second with the 49ers. Gould's 97.1 field goal completion percentage last year set a 49ers single-season franchise record.
"Obviously, a long-term contract is something that I'd like to have, and then it comes down to, I want to win," Gould recently said on 670 The Score. "I want to find the best place to give myself the opportunity to win the Super Bowl. So, there's a handful of things that I'll look into, and we'll make that decision."
The 49ers may push back any decision on Gould's part by a year. The last time the team used the franchise tag was on safety Dashon Goldson in 2012.