The Washington Commanders have been on the kicker carousel since Adam Peters and Dan Quinn took over in 2024. After signing what looked to be a steady option in Brandon McManus, the position has been unsettled since Washington released the veteran kicker following the filing of a civil lawsuit against him. Since then, the Commanders have had six kickers appear in games including Cade York, Austin Seibert, Greg Joseph, Zane Gonzalez, Matt Gay, and Jake Moody. Cade lasted all of a week; Seibert’s tenure
started well but was derailed by injury, Gonzalez and his mannerisms won a playoff game, but he was released after the season.
Adam Peters signed Matt Gay to a heavily guaranteed contract in 2025 to replace him but made a gross miscalculation in regards to his range. After missing a potential game-winning kick in Madrid, the Commanders finally read the writing on the wall and released the former Colt.
Enter Jake Moody. Peters is very familiar with Moody, as he was still with the 49ers when they drafted the kicker in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft. He was 21-for-25 as a rookie, which ranked in the bottom half of the league before going an abysmal 24 for 34 in year two, struggling from forty yards and beyond. Moody joined the Bears practice squad and was activated for Monday Night Football versus the Commanders in 2025, and infamously, made his final thirty-eight yard attempt to secure a narrow road victory for the Bears. The Commanders saw enough to sign him off the Bears practice squad after Gay’s release, and he went on to make 10 of his 11 field goal attempts, going 2 for 2 from 50+ yards. It was certainly a promising finish to the year, but signs of his previous inconsistency were still present as he missed a chip shot and an extra point.
The Commanders smartly chose not to extend the restricted free agent tender and instead re-signed Moody to a one-year, $1.7 million agreement. They can easily move on from him if they desire, incurring just $125k in dead money. Their other smart decision was to sign another kicker, undrafted free agent Drew Stevens.
Over his four-year career at Iowa, Stevens made 76 of 95 FGs (80%) and 124 of 126 PATs (98.4%), including being credited with 4 game-winners. Drew has plenty of leg to operate in the 50-60 yard range that is becoming more common in the league. He is almost mentally resilient and was able to work his way back from being benched during his sophomore season. The fortitude to work through a slump is vital for a kicker, especially for one that is not always accurate. Like Moody, Stevens also has struggles with inconsistency and missed four field goals over a four-game span in his senior season.
So far in offseason activities and minicamp, the two kickers appear evenly matched. Reports from one early session had Moody going 5-of-6 with a long of 53, while Stevens went 6-of-6 for a long of 53. Moody’s miss was from forty-eight yards. In a later session, both went 6-for-6 on the day. Special teams coach Larry Izzo likes what he’s seen so far and, true to form, was direct about what he’s looking for in camp.
“Their consistency, their accuracy, their makes. Are they shaving it close every time or are they hitting it more in the middle? But at the end of the day, it’s about making the kicks and that’s going to be the number one factor in who’s going to be here.”
The important thing for fans is they are finally getting the kicking competition they demanded. The matchup looks even headed into camp and may not be decided until well into preseason. Who will win when the pressure gets cranked up in games?
