49ers’ Eddy Piñeiro already has 7 missed kicks. Cutting him won’t be cheap.

San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Piñeiro is facing scrutiny after logging his seventh missed kick of the 2026 season during a 29-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Piñeiro missed a crucial fourth-quarter extra point that hindered San Francisco's comeback attempt. The miss brought his season totals to four missed extra points and three missed field goals as head coach Kyle Shanahan voiced growing impatience with the kicking unit.

Releasing Piñeiro would carry a significant financial burden despite the 49ers holding over $42 million in salary cap space. Piñeiro signed a four-year, $17 million contract with $10 million fully guaranteed, meaning an immediate release would trigger nearly $6 million in dead money according to OverTheCap. The 49ers enter their bye week before facing the Raiders on Nov. 8.