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The 49ers could consider placing the franchise tag on kicker Eddy Pineiro after he put together a strong 2025 campaign with the team
The San Francisco 49ers have some work to do this offseason. Despite being battered by injuries for the second straight year in 2025, the Niners didn’t let that stop them from making a run to the playoffs. As their blowout defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round showed, though, San Fran has some work to do if it wants to return to the top of the mountain and win a Super Bowl.
With Kyle Shanahan‘s coaching staff now largely set in stone, the next order of business for the 49ers involves finding a way to keep some of its own players in town. One tool they have at their disposal is the franchise tag, and in a surprise revelation, it appears as if kicker Eddy Pineiro could be a candidate to receive the tag this offseason.
Eddy Pineiro Emerges as Franchise Tag Candidate for the 49ers
After Jake Moody missed a pair of field goal attempts in the Niners’ first game of the season, the team promptly moved on from him. That eventually led to Pineiro finding his way to town, as he spent the final 14 games of the season with San Francisco after he initially began the season without a home.
Known for his accuracy rather than his big leg, Pineiro quickly proved himself to be the perfect replacement for Moody. Pineiro made 28 of his 29 field goal attempts, with his field goal percentage of 96.6% being tops in the league. Extra points weren’t as smooth an operation as he missed four of his 38 attempts, but Pineiro’s consistency when it came to field goals made him a hero of sorts for the Niners.
With Pineiro’s contract up, he’s set to hit the open market. Finding a consistent kicker like Pineiro is a tough task, and you can bet teams across the league took note of his strong play in 2025. However, San Francisco would like to keep him in town, and if it can’t reach a new deal with him before free agency opens, it could ultimately decide to place the franchise tag on him.
“The 49ers would prefer not to use the tag on a kicker — especially at a price tag of $6 million to $7 million — but Piñeiro was an instant fix for one of their biggest problems in 2025,” Nick Wagoner wrote for ESPN. “The Niners would like to keep Piñeiro around rather than having to conduct another kicker search, so if a long-term deal can’t be worked out, the tag is at least a possibility.”
Should the 49ers Franchise Tag Eddy Pineiro?
GettyEddy Piñeiro of the San Francisco 49ers.
In an era where the range that kickers possess seems to be continuously increasing across the league, Pineiro is a bit of a throwback kicker. He did make a career-long 59-yard field goal in 2025, but he’s not a guy who is going to be consistently attempting 60-yard field goals. Pineiro’s strong suit is his accuracy, and that was on full display last season.
Considering how poorly things went with Moody, San Fran likely isn’t going to mess around when it comes to properly addressing the kicker position this offseason. In a perfect world, the front office will be able to come to terms with Pineiro on a cheaper contract, but if push comes to shove, the franchise tag should be used here. It’s not exactly common to see a kicker get franchise tagged, but in this unique scenario, it could be a sensible move for the Niners.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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