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Matt Maiocco is reporting that the 49ers are believed to be interested in Giants free agent kicker Lawrence Tynes. The 49ers released David Akers last week, in a widely expected move. The question since has been whether the 49ers would go with a veteran free agent, or grab somebody in the mid to late rounds of the NFL Draft.
Tynes was apparently a Pro Bowl alternate this year (according to Maiocco), and had a fairly solid year. He connected on 33 of 39 kicks, with a long of 50. He is not a superstar kicker, but would provide a solid enough option. It's worth noting that his 84.6 field goal percentage last season matched David Akers' 2011 percentage. Tynes struggled a bit in 2011 with a 79.6%, but has otherwise been in the 80s the last few years.
If the 49ers do go with a free agent, Tynes is right behind Phil Dawson as one of the better options available. The team could roll the dice on a rookie kicker, but as MM tweeted, they are a crapshoot and with the 49ers in a position to win now, why roll the dice if you are not 100% convinced? Additionally, there is no guarantee the 49ers will get one of the top couple of kickers in the draft. If the team misses out in the draft, they would be stuck with leftovers on the free agent market.