The 49ers made a quiet change at punter this offseason, but it may not stay quiet for long.
San Francisco moved on from veteran Thomas Morstead and brought in Corliss Waitman, a swap that might have slipped past a lot of fans while Brandon Aiyuk’s situation kept grabbing the spotlight. Morstead, who is 40, saw his punt average dip to 43.6 yards, though he remained steady. Waitman, 31, was a little better on paper, averaging 45.5 yards with the Pittsburgh Steelers after posting 46.4 yards per punt the year before.
That was enough for special teams coordinator Brant Boyer to make the switch.
But the job may already be under pressure.
Shortly after the NFL Draft in April, the 49ers reportedly agreed to terms with undrafted Jack Bouwmeester out of Texas. A visa issue kept the Australian-born specialist from signing right away, which delayed any immediate challenge to Waitman. Right before training camp, though, Bouwmeester’s contract became official.
The deal could be worth more than $3 million, but it includes only $15,000 in guaranteed money, so financially Waitman does not appear to be in danger. The bigger issue is performance.
Waitman’s consistency has been a concern, and that may be part of why Pittsburgh didn’t make much of an effort to keep him earlier this spring. San Francisco clearly likes the leg, but the 49ers may also be hoping Bouwmeester can at least force Waitman to sharpen up. There’s also the possibility that the rookie simply wins the job outright, pushing out a veteran before he’s even played a snap for the team.
It’s not the flashiest camp battle on the roster, but it’s one worth watching.
In Other News...
49ers Safety Battle May Already Be Tilting In One Direction
Early in 49ers training camp, the safety picture is starting to take shape, and JiAyir Brown has been the clearest beneficiary so far. Brown has handled all the first-team reps at free safety, a sign he may be setting himself apart in the competition, and he also came up with an interception in Mondays session. It is still the first stretch of camp, but those are the kinds of snaps that tend to matter when coaches begin sorting out roles.
The other side of the equation remains less settled, with Malik Mustapha and Marquese Sigle rotating at strong safety while Brown stays planted on the back end. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris addressed the competition in broad terms, but he did not offer much in the way of clarity on how the starting jobs are lining up. For now, the 49ers at least appear to have one spot leaning in a direction, even if the full answer is still in progress. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Add Defender Who Could Stir A Familiar Debate On Defense
The 49ers have added another piece to their defensive mix, signing former Dolphins pass rusher Quinton Bell to a one-year contract. A seventh-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Bell has bounced from Miami to Atlanta and back into the market as a player whose value has always been tied as much to his athletic profile as to any one fixed position.
What makes Bell interesting in San Francisco is the same thing that has followed him around the league: he has been used mostly as an edge rusher and linebacker, but his background invites bigger questions about how far a coaching staff can stretch a defender who can move around. The 49ers have often leaned into that kind of flexibility, and Bell arrives with the sort of versatility that can open a familiar debate about where exactly he fits best. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Fans Are Livid Over What Stayed Hidden About Shanahan
The latest flare-up around Kyle Shanahan has less to do with the 49ers on-field plans than with how information moves in the NFLs slowest stretches. ESPN insider Adam Schefter said the team kept the incident private during a quiet period on the league calendar, a reminder that not every story breaks on the same timetable as a roster move or injury update.
49ers fans have not been interested in that explanation, and plenty have aimed their frustration at Schefter for the delay. Some have gone further, arguing that he may have held back to protect access to the team, which is exactly the kind of tension that keeps resurfacing whenever a reporters role as a gatekeeper collides with the publics right to know. [Read more 🡒]