Jan. 29, 2026, 8:45 p.m. PT
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their 2026 season after getting eliminated by the Seattle Seahawks in a divisional-round showdown at Lumen Field.
Over the coming weeks, the 49ers will have to decide which of their pending free agents they want to bring back, and among that list of players set to hit the market is kicker Eddy Pineiro.
Let’s take some time to analyze the choice San Francisco must make with Pineiro.
Eddy Pineiro 2025 season recap
Pineiro joined the 49ers after Jake Moody’s disastrous performance in Week 1, and his arrival in San Francisco really saved the team throughout the season. The 30-year-old went on to make a league-high 96.6% of his field goals (28-of-29) and 89.5% of his extra points (34-of-38).
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Potential replacements for Eddy Pineiro
San Francisco doesn’t have another kicker on the roster or practice squad at the moment, but Matt Prater, Riley Patterson, Joey Slye, Blake Grupe and Dnaiel Carlson are set to join Pineiro in free agency.
Michigan’s Dominic Zvada, BYU’s Will Ferrin, Iowa’s Drew Stevens and Hawaii’s Kansei Matsuzawa are among the top kickers that will likely get considered by teams in the 2026 NFL draft.
What free agency contract could Eddy Pineiro get?
Pineiro was a steal in 2025 at just $1.17 million for the year. However, that will likely jump in 2026, as Spotrac has Pineiro’s market value at $5.62 million annually. They project him to receive a three-year deal worth $16.87 million this offseason.
Should the 49ers re-sign Eddy Pineiro
After watching Moody in 2024 and Week 1 of the 2025 season, it’s tough to imagine that San Francisco will find a more reliable kicker than Pineiro proved to be in this year. Even for the extra money, the 49ers should try to lock him up for a few years.
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