Washington Commanders Kicker Battle Heats Up After All-Conference Signing

The Washington Commanders have reshaped their roster this offseason. Multiple moves were necessary across the franchise after the team took a step backwards last fall. Injuries piled up, but the depth across the roster wasn't good enough to get the job done, regardless.

Moving forward, head coach Dan Quinn wants the Commanders to be tougher, smarter, and more consistent. That doesn't apply to just the offense and defense; it's something the coaching staff is instilling at all levels.

With the offseason program and training camp ahead, competition is brewing in Washington. Obviously, the depth chart at a few positions is basically already locked in. However, there are also some spots that are up in the air.

That includes at kicker, where the Commanders are bringing in a fresh face to battle with veteran Jake Moody.

Washington Commanders Sign New Kicker, Igniting Position Battle

According to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz, Washington is expected to sign former Iowa kicker Drew Stevens as an undrafted free agent. Stevens was set to try out at the Commanders' rookie minicamp.

Washington Commanders K Drew Steven — Iowa Hawkeyes place kicker Drew Stevens (18) Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

However, it appears the franchise didn't want to wait out the possibility of letting another team swoop Stevens out from under their fingers. Regarded as one of the top kickers in the 2026 NFL Draft, Stevens was an All-Big 10 selection for four consecutive years from 2022-25.

Stevens was credited with four game-winners during his college career, including a pair of 53-yard field goals to defeat Nebraska and Northwestern. His long of 58-yards came against Oregon last fall, tying for the longest field goal in Iowa program history.

Overall, Stevens connected on 80% of his field goal attempts (76/95). He was 36/47 from 40+ yards and also hit 98.4% of his extra points, missing just two of his 126 attempts with the Hawkeyes.

No Luck With Kickers

The Commanders have struggled to establish continuity at the kicker position in recent years. Moody did help Washington tie down the spot in the second half of the year after he was signed off Chicago's practice squad. Moody hit 10/11 of his field goals in six games with Washington, bouncing out of a rut that plagued him in San Francisco.

It's important for the franchise to have options, as luck hasn't been on its side lately. The Commanders brought in Austin Seibert in 2024, who set a franchise record with seven field goals in his debut. With that being said, Siebert suffered a season-ending injury and hasn't played professional football since.

Washington Commanders K Jake Moody — Washington Commanders place kicker Jake Moody (16) Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Washington elevated Zane Gonzalez after Siebert went down. Gonzalez hit the game-winner in the Commanders' Wild Card victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January of 2025. The franchise released him a few months later when they signed Matt Gay to a one-year/$5 million contract.

Gay missed multiple field goals in two of his ten appearances, leading to the Commanders cutting him before the season concluded.

With Stevens entering the room, the hope is that it'll keep bringing out the best in Moody as Washington tries to stabilize a position that only stands out when things are going poorly.

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