49ers swap Jake Moody for Eddy Piñeiro, put George Kittle on IR

SANTA CLARA — While tight end George Kittle will miss at least the 49ers’ next four games on injured reserve, kicker Jake Moody will not suit up for them anymore.

The 49ers are signing Eddy Piñeiro after waiving Moody, a 2023 third-round pick who had 2-of-3 field-goal attempts go awry in Sunday’s 17-13 season-opening win at Seattle.

Kittle went on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury that sidelined him before halftime Sunday. He scored the 49ers’ first touchdown of the season (a 5-yard reception) to cap a 95-yard opening drive, and he totaled three catches before watching the remainder from the sideline.

In other moves, Kendrick Bourne officially signed a one-year, $5 million deal, and fellow wide receiver Robbie Chosen was released from the practice squad.

Piñeiro, 29, kicked the past three seasons for Carolina, after playing the final five games of 2021 with the New York Jets, who were coached by Robert Saleh and special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, both of whom are now on Kyle Shanahan’s staff.

Piñeiro first joined the NFL in 2018 as an undrafted rookie with the Raiders, and his first official kicks came for the 2019 Bears before missing 2020 with a groin injury. He’s made 88.1-percent of his career field-goal attempts, including 46-of-48 within 40 yards; he’s missed 10-of-126 point-after kicks.

Whereas Moody was inserted into an immediate Super Bowl contender, Piñeiro joins a franchise clawing its way back from a last-place finish, and doing so amid myriad injuries and depth issues, especially on offense.

Quarterback Brock Purdy sustained toe and left shoulder injuries Sunday that could prompt the 49ers to start Mac Jones in his place this week at New Orleans. Scans of wide receiver Jauan Jennings’ shoulder injury did not reveal any significant damage, ESPN reported.

As for replacing Kittle the next month, in-house options exist, just not nearly on Kittle’s All-Pro level. Jake Tonges, one of the 49ers’ backup tight ends, produced the game-winning points by snatching Brock Purdy’s 4-yard touchdown pass with 1:34 remaining. Luke Farrell is the only other tight end on the roster, but Brayden Willis is an option to come up from the practice squad. Kittle caught all four of his targets Sunday, including Purdy’s initial third-down conversion.

The 49ers have lost 11 of the last 14 games Kittle did not play in, and they’re 7-12 without him since 2017. Hamstring injuries kept him out of losses last season at the Los Angeles Rams (Week 3) and against the Seahawks (Week 11).

The earliest Kittle could return is Week 6 at Tampa Bay, which is the likeliest spot also for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to make his debut off the Physically Unable to Perform list.

After visiting the Saints, the 49ers are home on consecutive Sundays against the Arizona Cardinals (Sept. 21, 1:25 p.m.) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (Sept. 28, 1:05 p.m.) before a Thursday night game at the Rams (Oct. 2, 5:15 p.m.). That short week of practice may have played into Kittle going on IR for the full four-game hiatus.

Although Shanahan expressed loyalty to Moody immediately after Sunday’s game, he was visibly frustrated after the initial field-goal miss, and the coach backtracked Tuesday to state the 49ers could try out other kickers or add one to the practice squad. “I know the personnel department’s going to look into all that stuff and give us those options,” Shanahan said.

Moody’s final gaffes — a 27-yard try off the left upright a minute before halftime, a 36-yarder blocked in the third quarter — carried over bad mojo that has followed him since the end of his rookie season. Such as:

— He missed 11-of-23 field-goal attempts since being rushed back from a high-ankle sprain last season.

— Moody made 46-of-62 field-goal field-goal attempts with the 49ers, but was just 6-of-12 from at least 50 yards. He missed his final point-after kick at Levi’s Stadium in last season’s home finale against Detroit.

— Drafted No. 99 overall, Moody made his first nine field-goal attempts (three each in his first three games) for a team headed for the Super Bowl. He foiled the 49ers’ undefeated, 5-0 start, however, when he missed a 41-yard, last-seconds attempt in a 19-17 loss at Cleveland.