49ers' New Special Teams: Cowing, Running Back Duo

0:00It's March 23rd. You're listening to NFL News today, AI-powered football coverage. I'm Cory with the story. The San Francisco 49ers are moving on from their kick-and-pun returners from last season. Skyy Moore and Brian Robinson Jr. won't be back after failing to impress enough on special teams and offense combined. The team needs fresh options heading into 2026. Moore ranked 15th in kick-off return average, and 10th in punt returns overall. But his strong star faded in the final month in playoffs, leaving questions. Robinson filled in on kicks once others didn't pan out. Yet he remains a free agent with no deal in sight. Team Insiders point to internal candidates with return experience. Jacob Cowings stands out after averaging 8.8 yards on 28 punts as a rookie. Ricky Piersall, Jordan Watkins and Junior Bergen bring college backgrounds, though most lack recent pro reps. Cowing looks like the front runner for pun duties, while a running back such as Isaac Garendo could handle kicks.

1:01Patrick Taylor serves as a backup option there too. The 49ers might draft a rookie to round out the group. As training camp mirrors, expect Cowing to claim the punt roll alongside a back-on-kicks, giving the special teams a reliable reset for the new year.