Predicting What the San Francisco 49ers Starting Lineup Looks Like in 2018
By Peter Panacy
Special Teams
Kicker: Free Agent
Punter: Bradley Pinion
Long-Snapper: Kyle Nelson
Special teams don’t get a lot of love, but they’re no less than important.
It’s hard to see 41-year-old veteran Phil Dawson returning to his 49ers kicking duties in 2017, let alone 2018. So look for San Francisco to bring in a free agent, either this year or next, assuming Dawson returns for one more season.
Both punter Bradley Pinion and long-snapper Kyle Nelson will hit contract years after 2018, so their tenures are on the line.
But it’s unlikely San Francisco wants to shake up the punter position, especially considering the team invested a fifth-round pick in Pinion back in 2015.
And no one knows, Nelson’s name. That’s a good thing for a long-snapper.