Perhaps wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's never-ending drama wholly overshadowed things, but San Francisco 49ers fans could easily be forgiven for missing something of an odd offseason switch in free agency: bidding farewell to veteran punter Thomas Morstead and welcoming aboard Corliss Waitman as his replacement.
Sure, the 40-year-old Morstead's punt average dropped down to 43.6 yards, but he was nevertheless consistent.
Waitman, 31 years old, averaged slightly better at 45.5 yards and had 46.4 yards per punt the year prior, both of which were spent with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Apparently, that was enough to convince special teams coordinator Brant Boyer to bid farewell to Morstead and to bring aboard Waitman instead.
Or was it?
49ers' pre-training camp signing makes Corliss Waitman pickup more questionable
Shortly after April's NFL Draft, the Niners reportedly agreed to terms with the undrafted Jack Bouwmeester out of Texas. But they couldn't sign the Australian-born specialist, thanks to visa complications, thereby putting off any immediate threat to Waitman's spot on the roster.
Until right before training camp, that is, when Bouwmeester's contract became official.
Bouwmeester could make over $3 million on this opening contract, but he carries just $15,000 in guaranteed money. So, from a financial perspective, Waitman shouldn't feel threatened.
But there'll be far more regarding Waitman's job security than just guarantees and dead money.
One of the primary knocks against Waitman was his consistency, and that could've easily been the reason why Pittsburgh made little effort to retain him earlier this spring. And while the specialist has a good leg, San Francisco might ultimately have some buyer's remorse and is hoping Bouwmeester, at the very least, pushes the veteran into better performances.
Or, on the flip side, the rookie unseats the veteran—Waitman is shoved off the roster by a recently signed prospect without any NFL experience.
Either way, it's a provocative training camp battle to watch, even if specialist battles don't exactly command the headlines of other positions.
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