The 49ers’ difficult offseason of roster decisions reaches its first deadline on the eve of the team’s final regular-season game.
The 49ers must decide on the future of kicker Robbie Gould no later than Saturday, Jan. 2.
“I know we'll have a decision by then,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said this week.
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If the 49ers pick up the option before the final game of the regular season against the Seattle Seahawks, the club would commit to guaranteeing $2.25 million of Gould’s $4.5 million salary for 2021.
Then, on April 1, another $2.25 million for the 2022 season becomes guaranteed.
If the 49ers decline the first option, they would save $3.75 million against the 2021 cap.
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The 49ers originally tagged Gould as their franchise player in 2019 before working out a contract extension that makes him the second-highest-paid kicker in the league behind Baltimore’s Justin Tucker. Gould’s deal averages $4.75 million, while Tucker makes an average of $5 million annually.
Complicating matters of the team’s decision with Gould are two factors:
1). The salary cap could drop approximately $20 million due to revenue losses during the COVID-19 pandemic;
2). The 49ers have a number of significant free agents to prioritize re-signing, including tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, defensive lineman Kerry Hyder, and cornerbacks Richard Sherman, Jason Verrett and K’Waun Williams. In addition, Fred Warner is in line for a new contract that will make him among the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL.
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Gould, who turned 38 last week, is in his 16th NFL season. He ranks No. 16 all-time in points scored at 1,720 — just one point behind David Akers for No. 15 on the list. Gould is No. 5 all-time in field-goal accuracy at 86.9 percent.
In four seasons with the 49ers, Gould has made 112 of 125 field-goal attempts (89.6 percent).