Kicker Kombat: Jake Moody’s Konquest Kontinues

I believe it was the Jim Harbaugh 49ers who began trolling everyone with depth charts that made absolutely no sense. During the Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick QB controversy the QB1 spot was left to things like “Alex Smith -or- Colin Kaepernick” which was all sorts of hilarious (I was trying to track down such a depth chart but haven’t been able to locate it). Since then, I don’t think I’ve seen a 49ers depth chart ever make any sense.

What does this have to do with kickers? Oh, just about everything because if you take the depth chart at face value it indicates Kicker Kombat is alive and well and Jake Moody vs. Zane Gonzalez is still a thing despite the fact Moody may have ended it today with his own Kickality.

And what is a kickality? Well, maybe knocking two 60-ish-yarders during Tuesday’s practice with plenty of leg to spare does the trick. Apparently, one of them could have gone 66 yards. Can you say, “record”?

So a few things to take from this. One: This Kompetition is all but done in the practice stage. Give me a preseason game.

Two: It’s good to know that Jake Moody will be around to take the slack on special teams when the offense is inefficient at midfield or even in their end zone with how this is going.

Three: The 49ers—and fans by extension—loved Robbie Gould because he was money within 50 yards. Put Gould out there for the game winner at that distance and chances are you could go to the locker room. That was within 50-ish yards.

Moody is banking 60 yarders without issue.

I know, I know. It’s still far too early but if this guy can get rhythm at 60-yards, that’s just not fair. At least when Kyle Shanahan elects to go conservative at the end of the half, his playing field widens being able to kick from midfield when the clock nears 00:00.

So that leaves Zane Gonzalez. Look, he’s doing well, but given the draft capital, age, and salary of Jake Moody, one may think his days with the 49ers are numbered. Not the case. We may see some Gonzalez during the Raiders' preseason game as an advertisement to the NFL for possible trades. He’s got a decent salary and has had a good camp, he’s just kicking against a prodigy.

Could the 49ers roster two kickers? Not exactly sure why they would unless they count on Moody taking a nose dive in the next 10 weeks, but it’s not out of the question, I guess. Keeping Gonzalez on the roster though is a good move for trade possibilities in roster cuts when the final preseason game goes.

But with Moody banking 60 yarders with room to spare and as a rookie, I think we know who Punterville will be working with this year.