The Washington Commanders intend to release veteran kicker Jake Moody and entrust undrafted rookie Drew Stevens with the job, according to multiple reports on Monday.
The kicking carousel will continue in D.C., as Stevens will become the 12th player to assume the role since 2021 and the eighth since the start of the 2024 season.
Since 2023, NFC East division rival Dallas has seen one kicker — Brandon Aubrey — compete in all 51 regular-season games.
Joey Slye, Dustin Hopkins, Chris Blewitt and Brian Johnson all appeared in Washington’s games in 2021. Slye held the job in 2022-23, but Austin Seibert, Greg Joseph, Cade York and Zane Gonzalez took over duties at varying times in 2024. Matt Gay started the season for the Commanders last year, but was replaced by Moody for the final six games,
Moody, who had hit 8 of 9 attempts in Weeks 6 and 7 for the Chicago Bears, was picked up by the Commanders off of Chicago’s practice squad.
Moody, 26, hit 10 of 11 tries in his time in Washington and re-signed with the club in March, earning a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
But Stevens outkicked Moody in spring practice, after the Commanders brought in the three-time Third Team All-Big Ten kicker out of Iowa.
The competition continued into training camp, but Moody misfired on five kicks and nearly missed a 29-yarder in the team’s preseason win over the Miami Dolphins.
Stevens converted from 41 yards in the game.
Stevens converted 76 of 95 field-goal attempts in four seasons at Iowa, setting school records for field goals made and 50-yard FGs made (12), which included a school-record-tying 58-yarder.