There doesn’t seem to be a definitive end in sight to the Robbie Gould-49ers standoff. The most recent development came earlier this month, as we learned the veteran kicker would skip the team’s mandatory minicamp as he continues to push for a trade. The 36-year-old recently clarified his trade demand to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.

“It’s a complicated situation,” Gould said. “The way I’ve kind of approached it is, I want to spend time with my family. And I let my agent handle it, and if anything comes up that I have to make a decision or be in the know, he’ll call me and let me know. But right now there’s nothing to really know, and I’m just enjoying being home and being in Chicago.

“I’m at a point in my career where my family is what’s going to dictate the decisions that I make.”

To review: Gould signed a two-year, $4MM contract with San Francisco back in 2017, and he proceeded to connect on 72 of his 75 field goal attempts (96-percent) and 55 of his 59 extra point attempts (93.2-percent) in 32 games. With the veteran facing free agency, the 49ers slapped him with the franchise tag back in February, meaning Gould would be in line to earn about $5MM in 2019. However, we learned soon after that Gould wanted out of San Francisco, a request that the 49ers have denied.

The 49ers are still focused on signing Gould to a multiyear extension, and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t sound all that concerned when discussing the possibility of the kicker holding out until Week 1. Therefore, it could be another couple of months until there’s any type of resolution.

49ers’ kicker Robbie Gould will not attend the team’s mandatory minicamp, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Gould’s situation is different than most, however, as he has not yet signed his franchise tag. 

The saga between the Niners and their kicker has been going on for some time. Gould was slapped with the franchise tag earlier this offseason with the understanding that the two sides would eventually agree to an extension. However, a new deal still hasn’t materialized, much to the dismay of the kicker.

“The bottom line is, I’m unsure if I want to play there anymore,” Gould said earlier this year. “At this point, I have to do what’s best for me and my family back home.”

Later, Gould’s agent indicated that if Gould were to report at all, he would not show up before the club’s season opener. GM John Lynch has said that he wants to sign Gould to a multiyear deal, but there apparently has been much progress on that front.

At one point, the Niners expressed interest in Stephen Gostkowski before he re-signed with the Patriots, so they’ve at least contemplated a future without Gould. They may have to scour the open market again if the standoff continues.

Robbie Gould wants out. The 49ers kicker, who has been cuffed by the franchise tag, has halted all negotiations and refuses to sign a long-term deal with the club, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com hears. 

Gould’s agent, meanwhile, says that if he reports at all, it will not be before the Niners’ Sept. 8 regular season opener. So, at best, Gould appears set to be a summer holdout if he stays in SF. Speaking at his pre-draft press conference yesterday, GM John Lynch said he fully expects Gould to be with the 49ers in 2019, and that he still wants to sign Gould to a multiyear deal (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic). Gould, though, does not appear ready to make nice.

Gould, 36, was released after eleven years with the Bears, leading him to the Giants in 2016. Then, he inked a two-year pact with the Niners in 2017. Recently, Gould grew tired of the protracted contract negotiations and indicated that he wanted to be closer to home with his family in Chicago.

Earlier this offseason, the Niners expressed interest in signing free agent kicker Stephen Gostkowski before he re-signed with the Patriots. That irked Gould, who is doubling down on his desire to return to the midwest.

“The bottom line is, I’m unsure if I want to play there anymore,” Gould said. “At this point, I have to do what’s best for me and my family back home.”

Besides Gould, inexperienced kicker Jonathan Brown is the only other field goal leg on the Niners’ roster.

The 49ers don’t want to let kicker Robbie Gould get away. Keeping the pending free agent may require using the franchise tag, and that’s a step they’re prepared to take, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. In fact, Maiocco expects them to slap the tag on Gould when the window officially opens on Tuesday. 

The 49ers haven’t used the tag since 2012 when they kept safety Dashon Goldson from exploring the open market. Last year, they considered tagging franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but they avoided that step altogether by inking him to a (briefly) record-setting five-year extension.

In this case, the tag would set some parameters for a future deal and allow the two sides to negotiate between now and the summer deadline. Tagging a kicker is not especially common, but there are no other candidates in SF for the designation this year. The tag for Gould would be roughly $5MM for this season and Gould’s camp would likely be amenable to a longer-term deal at a slightly lower AAV.

Gould has nailed 72 of 75 field goal attempts over the last two years with the Niners and he ranks as the second-most accurate kicker in league history. It’s especially impressive when considering that Gould has spent eleven of his 14 seasons kicking out of Soldier Field with the Bears.

For his part, Gould has spoken highly of the 49ers organization.

“It’s been a really, really awesome two years here,” Gould said in December. “Obviously, the records haven’t been what people might think they’d be. But as an older player, you can understand what they’re building. You can understand what it looks like, just because you’ve seen all types of situations in the last 14 years. I think these young guys getting playing time is something that we need for next year because if we didn’t have it this year, and it just so happens to start next year, some of those mistakes that could be made … can cost you a football game.”