SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers have found their replacement kicker with Eddy Pineiro sidelined by a hamstring injury, signing Matt Gay to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Gay was cut by Washington on Monday, a day after missing two field goals for the Commanders in a 16-13 loss to Miami in Spain. Gay missed a potential game-winning try from 56 yards at the end of regulation and also missed from 51 yards out earlier in the game.
Gay, who was signed to a contract with $4.35 million in guaranteed money in April, went 13 of 19 on field goals for Washington this season with five of the six misses coming from at least 50 yards.
Long kicks have been an issue for Gay since he was drafted by Tampa Bay in the fifth round in 2019. Gay has made 59.3% of his attempts from at least 50 yards, tied for the third-worst mark among 28 kickers with at least 20 tries from that far since he entered the league. Gay has made 92.4% of his kicks from inside 50 yards, ranking seventh best among 40 kickers with at least 100 attempts.
Pineiro had provided a big boost for San Francisco since being signed in Week 2 after Jake Moody missed two field goals in the opener. Pineiro is 22 for 22 on field goals with six makes from at least 50 yards. He has missed four out of 22 extra point attempts, including three in the past two games.
Pineiro is listed as week to week.
Gay was replaced on the Commanders by Moody, who was a third-round pick by San Francisco in 2023.
The 49ers also signed linebacker Stone Blanton to the practice squad. Blanton spent time on the practice squad earlier this season and provides depth with Tatum Bethune out for a few weeks with a high ankle sprain.
Bethune had taken over at middle linebacker after Fred Warner went down with an ankle injury in Week 6. Curtis Robinson will likely start now with Bethune out. Robinson has mostly played special teams in his five-year career and has never started a game in the NFL.
The 49ers released receiver Russell Gage from the practice squad to make room for the new additions.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Pro Football Writer
