The San Francisco 49ers did end up signing two players from the list, linebacker Tyrell Adams and wide receiver Max McCaffrey, to the practice squad. Still, five long snappers?
As Matt Barrows of The Athletic pointed out on Tuesday, the decision to begin focusing on special teams makes some sense. 49ers kicker Robbie Gould, punter and holder Bradley Pinion, and long snapper Kyle Nelson are all scheduled to be unrestricted free agents in March.
Gould is in his 14th NFL season while Nelson is in his seventh. The former carries a 2018 cap hit of $2.25 million while the latter's figure is $1.15 million, according to OverTheCap.com. The 49ers made Pinion, who is coming to the end of his four-year rookie deal, a fifth-round draft pick in 2015.
Gould has made 22 field goals this season, which ranks No. 4 among NFL kickers. His 96 percent completion rate is tied for second in the NFL among kickers with 10-or-more attempts. Gould is also 2-of-2 from 50-or-more yards out and 8-of-9 from 40-or-more yards.
Pinion's net average of 38.6 yards per punt ranks No. 28 in the NFL.
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