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Commanders' 20-Kicker Search Now Rests on Undrafted Rookie Drew Stevens

The Washington Commanders have cycled through 20 kickers since 2020, and undrafted rookie Drew Stevens now gets the chance to finally bring some stability to the position.
Aug 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA;  Washington Commanders placekicker Drew Stevens (19) kicks a field goal against the Detroit Lions in the second half at Ford Field.  Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images
Aug 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Washington Commanders placekicker Drew Stevens (19) kicks a field goal against the Detroit Lions in the second half at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One ugly statistic has followed Washington since 2020: the organization has signed 20 kickers in six years, and its latest attempt to stabilize the position rests with undrafted rookie Drew Stevens. By beating Jake Moody for the job, Stevens already answered the question asked of him in training camp; now the bigger part of his evaluation will shift to his regular-season performance and whether he can keep the job.

To be more specific, Washington has used seven different kickers since Dan Quinn took over as head coach of the Washington Commanders. 2025 is probably the best example, with Washington finishing 29th in the NFL in field-goal percentage (76.7). Matt Gay was so bad that the team moved on; Moody actually provided a late-season spark, going 10-of-11 over the last six games. That spark didn't prove to be enough for Washington to hand the job back to him in 2026, as the franchise wants to lock this position up long-term and get away from temporary solutions, so they brought in Stevens to compete with him.

From that point, Stevens earned the opportunity the old-fashioned way. He was simply better. The rookie finished camp 43-of-48 on field-goal attempts, compared with Moody's 36-of-47, and showed plenty of leg along the way, including a make from 60 yards. Dan Quinn said after naming him the starter that Stevens had “established himself” and “earned it.” There really isn't much more to add to that. Washington gave both kickers a chance, and Stevens won.

That carried over into the preseason, where Stevens finished 4-of-5 on field goals, with his only miss coming from 62 yards out. By now, Washington has seen about everything it can see without the games actually counting. Stevens handled the daily competition, made the majority of his kicks, showed range, and then carried that over into the preseason. None of that guarantees anything once the regular season begins, but there also isn't much more the rookie could have done to earn the first opportunity.

Now Washington will find out whether Stevens can give the position some staying power. That doesn't mean he has to make every kick or immediately become one of the best kickers in football. The Commanders are in a place right now where they just need to stop wondering who will handle the job next. Seven kickers in two seasons and 20 since 2020 is complete insanity.

Stevens won the competition and earned the right to be the next one up. Whether he becomes something more than that will depend on what happens when the kicks start counting. For a team that has spent six years looking for some consistency at kicker, getting through a season without having to search for another one would be a pretty good place to start.

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Philip Hughes
PHILIP HUGHES

Philip Hughes covers the Washington Commanders with a focus on daily news, film analysis, roster construction, player development, and the fan culture surrounding one of the NFL’s most scrutinized teams. A longtime sports writer and content creator, Hughes has spent more than 20 years building football audiences across the interwebs and following the daily beat of the NFC East. email: hailbng+si@gmail.com

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