The Panthers announced Thursday they were releasing kicker Zane Gonzalez after agreeing to terms with Eddy Piñeiro on a two-year deal. The team didn’t cut Gonzalez, though.
Instead, the Panthers traded Gonzalez to the 49ers, his agent, Mike McCartney, announced. The teams later announced the trade and compensation, which is the exchange of a conditional swap of late-round picks in the 2025 draft.
None of Gonzalez’s $1.465 million salary for 2023 is guaranteed.
Gonzalez had his season end before it began in 2022, injuring a groin while warming up during the final preseason game. The Panthers signed Piñeiro, whose play earned him the job beyond 2022.
It was the second consecutive season Gonzalez had an injury while warming up. He injured a quad on the sidelines of a Week 16 game against Buffalo in 2021.
He made 20 of his 22 field goal attempts in 12 games of the 2021 season (90.9 percent) and went 22-of-23 (95.7 percent) on extra points.
The Browns made Gonzalez a seventh-round selection in 2017.
Gonzalez, 27, has made 91-of-113 field goal attempts (80.5 percent) in 63 games in his career.
