The San Francisco 49ers will have a new kicker on Monday night against the Carolina Panthers. On Monday afternoon, the team officially elevated kicker Matt Gay from the practice squad.
Gay was recently released after missing a pair of kicks with the Washington Commanders. One of those was to win the game. During a radio interview last Friday, general manager John Lynch said Gay deserves a clean slate:
“We talked to folks there whose opinion we trust, and they kind of did it reluctantly, letting him
go. We were happy to get him. It was a nice opportunity that a guy like Matt Gay, as accomplished as he has been throughout his career, was available.”
Both of Gay’s misses a week ago were from 50+. Lynch doesn’t believe leg strength is Gay’s issue: “Usually, if a guy’s struggling from distance, you say, ‘Does he not have the leg?’ That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
The 49ers also elevated linebacker Jalen Graham from the practice squad. He figures to back up Curtis Robinson at MIKE. Many want to see rookie Nick Martin at that spot, but it’s not a position Martin has played or practiced.
