The San Francisco 49ers signed kicker Eddy Piñeiro to a four-year, $17 million contract on Saturday. Making him one of the highest-paid kickers in the league and keeping him in the Bay Area where his NFL career began – the Oakland Raiders.
There was a time when Eddie Pineiro was expected to be the Raiders’ next kicker. He signed as an undrafted free agent out of Florida State in 2018 and had a great time in training camp and preseason. But due to the injury, he was placed on injured reserve, and the Raiders signed Mike Nugent to replace him.
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Nugent also went on injured reserve after three games, so they signed Matthew McClain. McClain lasted three games and missed a field goal in each game, including two attempts from inside 50 yards. By then, fifth-round pick Daniel Carlson was ready to sign with another team. The Raiders brought him in and he’s been their kicker ever since.
Carlson performed well in ten games as a rookie for the Raiders, and the following offseason, the Raiders traded Pinheiro to the Chicago Bears for a conditional seventh-round draft pick.
Now, eight years later, everything is back to square one. Pinheiro is back in the Bay Area and, as it happens, is making about the same amount as Carlson was making per season when he last signed an extension, and the Raiders were ready to move on from Carlson. Sometimes it’s funny how these things play out.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Former Raiders kicker signs lucrative, long-term contract with 49ers
