Latest news with #ThomasMorstead
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Robert Saleh Builds San Francisco 49ers Defense With Ex New York Jets Players
Robert Saleh Builds San Francisco 49ers Defense With Ex New York Jets Players originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The San Francisco 49ers cannot stop adding players that have previous playing experience with the New York Jets. Advertisement It starts with the re-hiring of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. General manager John Lynch brought Saleh back to the Bay Area to assume the position he previously held with the 49ers from 2017-2020. The fours years since his first 49ers stint have mainly been in the Big Apple as the head coach of the New York Jets from 2021-2024. Saleh was fired by the Jets last year after a 2-3 start to the season. He then spent some time as an offensive consultant with the Green Bay Packers. Now Saleh and new 49ers special teams coordinator Brant Boyer (the Jets special teams coordinator from 2016-2024) have gone back to the well and swiped multiple players from their former team. The duo started by acquiring former New Orleans Saints Super Bowl hero and NFL veteran punter Thomas Morstead, who spent the last two seasons with the Jets. Advertisement The signing came after the 49ers made a surprising cut of punter Mitch Wishnowsky who reportedly had no injury issues. "You don't know how those things go, and you've got to take the risk-reward and something that to me wasn't a big risk or worth the risk until someone like Morstead becomes available," head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "And that put us on where we needed to make a decision.' The next former Jet to travel west is linebacker Chazz Surratt who has spent the last three of his four NFL seasons in New York. Surratt, a former third-round pick in 2021, played in all 17 games last season and made the first five starts of his career. He mostly played on special teams, finishing the season with 28 total tackles (two for loss). Advertisement He projects as a swiss army knife on special teams because of his undersized build and great speed as a linebacker. Last but certainly not least comes edge rusher Bryce Huff. Huff was acquired by the Niners in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles this week. Philly's investment in Huff is often looked at as one of their team's worst moves in recent memory after an underwhelming 2024 season. However, back in 2023 as a member of, you guessed it, the New York Jets, Huff registered 10.0 sacks for his head coach Saleh. Adding Huff for just $8 million on this year's cap should do wonders for a defensive line that also features star Nick Bosa and first-round rookie Mykel Williams ... if he can return to top form. Advertisement Saleh is proving that he still has confidence in the un-drafted defensive end can. Under Saleh, the 49ers defense reached a peak of third-best in the NFL in points and yards differential in 2019. With Saleh as a head coach, the Jets defense was ranked as high as No. 18 and No. 14 in those respective stats in 2022. They may have a bunch of their former players, but 49ers fans better hope Robert Saleh's defense in San Francisco plays better than his did in New York. Related: 49ers Receive Early Grade for Bryce Huff Trade Related: Mykel Williams Excited to Learn From Two 49ers Mentors This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
San Francisco 49ers cut Australian punter Mitch Wishnowsky
An ever-growing Australian contingent in the NFL has been reduced by one after the San Francisco 49ers axed punter Mitch Wishnowsky. But his departure has been off-set by a trio of rookie signings that have swelled the punting ranks to seven. Taken in the fourth round of the 2109 NFL draft, at pick 110, Wishnowsky, from Perth, played in 92 games for the 49ers, including 12 playoff games and two losing Super Bowls in 2019 and 2024. He started the 2025 season in good form before a back injury sidelined him for the final eight games last season. Wishnowsky was replaced by 39-year-old Thomas Morstead, who spent the past two seasons at the New York Jets after spending most of his career with the New Orleans Saints. His exit comes after the contingent of Australian punters in the NFL actually expanded. Jeremy Crenshaw was drafted by the Denver Broncos, while James Burnip was taken as an undrafted free agent by the Saints and Oscar Chapman added to the Minnesota Vikings roster. They join established punters Michael Dickson at Seattle, Tory Taylor at the Chicago Bears and Cameron Johnston at the Pittsburgh Steelers. Super Bowl winning Philadelphia Eagles star Jordan Mailata leads a big number of Australians involved in the NFL, with former Wallabies star Jordan Petaia signing with the LA Chargers and Queensland club rugby player Laki Tasi earning a deal with the LA Raiders.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
49ers make a switch at punter, signing Thomas Morstead and cutting Mitch Wishnowsky
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers made a switch at punter on Wednesday, signing veteran Thomas Morstead and cutting Mitch Wishnowsky after six seasons in the role. The switch at punter is one of several made this offseason by the 49ers to overhaul a special teams unit that struggled last season, leading to the firing of coordinator Brian Schneider.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
49ers make a switch at punter, signing Thomas Morstead and cutting Mitch Wishnowsky
FILE - San Francisco 49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky (3) leaves the field at half time during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit,File) FILE - New York Jets punter Thomas Morstead (6) stands on the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray, File) FILE - New York Jets punter Thomas Morstead (6) stands on the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray, File) FILE - San Francisco 49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky (3) leaves the field at half time during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit,File) FILE - New York Jets punter Thomas Morstead (6) stands on the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray, File) SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers made a switch at punter on Wednesday, signing veteran Thomas Morstead and cutting Mitch Wishnowsky after six seasons in the role. The switch at punter is one of several made this offseason by the 49ers to overhaul a special teams unit that struggled last season, leading to the firing of coordinator Brian Schneider. Advertisement Brant Boyer was hired after spending the previous nine seasons in that role with the New York Jets and has now brought in a punter and a kicker he worked with in the past. San Francisco signed kicker Greg Joseph earlier this month to compete with Jake Moody. The 39-year-old Morstead spent the past two seasons playing for Boyer with Jets after spending most of his career with the New Orleans Saints. He averaged 47.2 yards per punt last season with a 40.7 yard net average. He has averaged 46.8 yards per punt with a 41.5 yard net average in 255 games. He was a second-team All-Pro and made the Pro Bowl in 2012 for New Orleans. Wishnowsky was a fourth-round pick by San Francisco in 2019 and was one of the better punters in the league at pinning opponents deep before a back injury sidelined him for the final eight games last season. He ranked third out of 38 punters with at least 150 attempts since 2019 with 45.2% of his punts getting downed inside the 20. Advertisement He averaged 45.6 yards per punt with a 40.7 yard net average in 92 games. He averaged 45.2 yards per punt last season with his 36.3-yard net average ranking last among 34 punters with at least 20 attempts. San Francisco also signed linebacker Chazz Surratt to a one-year deal and waived linebacker DaShaun White to make room on the roster. Surratt was drafted in the third round in 2021 by Minnesota and spent the past three seasons with the Jets where he played for both Boyer and current Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Surratt had 18 tackles on defense and 10 more on special teams last season. ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
49ers make a switch at punter, signing Thomas Morstead and cutting Mitch Wishnowsky
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers made a switch at punter on Wednesday, signing veteran Thomas Morstead and cutting Mitch Wishnowsky after six seasons in the role. The switch at punter is one of several made this offseason by the 49ers to overhaul a special teams unit that struggled last season, leading to the firing of coordinator Brian Schneider. Brant Boyer was hired after spending the previous nine seasons in that role with the New York Jets and has now brought in a punter and a kicker he worked with in the past. San Francisco signed kicker Greg Joseph earlier this month to compete with Jake Moody. The 39-year-old Morstead spent the past two seasons playing for Boyer with Jets after spending most of his career with the New Orleans Saints. He averaged 47.2 yards per punt last season with a 40.7 yard net average. He has averaged 46.8 yards per punt with a 41.5 yard net average in 255 games. He was a second-team All-Pro and made the Pro Bowl in 2012 for New Orleans. Wishnowsky was a fourth-round pick by San Francisco in 2019 and was one of the better punters in the league at pinning opponents deep before a back injury sidelined him for the final eight games last season. He ranked third out of 38 punters with at least 150 attempts since 2019 with 45.2% of his punts getting downed inside the 20. He averaged 45.6 yards per punt with a 40.7 yard net average in 92 games. He averaged 45.2 yards per punt last season with his 36.3-yard net average ranking last among 34 punters with at least 20 attempts. San Francisco also signed linebacker Chazz Surratt to a one-year deal and waived linebacker DaShaun White to make room on the roster. Surratt was drafted in the third round in 2021 by Minnesota and spent the past three seasons with the Jets where he played for both Boyer and current Niners defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Surratt had 18 tackles on defense and 10 more on special teams last season. ___ AP NFL:
