The San Francisco 49ers were awful in every facet of their special-teams unit in 2024. Okay, maybe not replacement punter Pat O’Donnell and replacement kickers Anders Carlson and Matthew Wright, but the rest is true. The 49ers’ first step was firing Brian Schneider and hiring Brant Boyer, who led the Jets’ special-teams unit to the top spot in special-teams DVOA during the second half of 2024.
While the 49ers draft centered on defensive upgrades, the team addressed its special teams unit with their final selection. Jacob Cowing returned punts last season, and Deebo Samuel saw success as a kick returner, but the 49ers added WR Junior Bergen from Montana to solidify their returner role.