Commanders make important roster move signing former 49ers starter

The Washington Commanders arrived in Madrid looking for an international win, but instead left Spain extending their losing streak to six games after a crushing 13-16 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Faced with constant struggles, the Commanders are making major changes ahead of their bye week, desperate to regroup and finish the season with more than three wins.

Final Misses

The most immediate move for the team is cutting veteran kicker Matt Gay and replacing him with Jake Moody, a former San Francisco 49ers player who most recently played with the Chicago Bears, in hopes that Moody can turn things around for the kicking unit.

Chicago Bears kicker Jake Moody | David Banks-Imagn Images

The decision comes as no surprise, as Gay's struggles were apparent, making just 13 of 19 field goals and missing two critical field goals in Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins, which could have altered the game’s outcome and potentially ended the Commanders' losing streak.

The Commanders are pinning their hopes on Moody, whom they acquired from the Chicago Bears' practice squad. Ironically, Moody’s signature moment occurred against the Commanders in October.

Clutch Performances

In Week 6, Moody stepped in for an injured Cairo Santos and delivered a strong performance, converting four of five field goals, including the game-winning kick as time expired to seal a 25-24 victory for the Bears over the Commanders.

He proved it wasn’t a fluke when Moody again filled in for Santos when Chicago took on New Orleans in Week 7, nailing all four of his field goal attempts in the Bears' victory.

Chicago Bears kicker Jake Moody (16) | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

A Reunion in Washington

The move to Washington is a reunion for Moody. He joins Commanders General Manager Adam Peters, who was the 49ers' assistant GM when the team drafted Moody in 2023. He also reunites with former 49ers teammate Deebo Samuel.

This season has been a perfect storm of setbacks for the franchise, defined by heartbreaking losses and injuries to key players like Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin. While changing a kicker may seem like a minor adjustment, it does address a unit that has directly cost some of the team victories.

As they continue to search for any positive momentum, their hope is that Moody's proven clutch performance and familiarity with the new front office can provide the spark they need in the second half of the season and help pull the franchise out of its deep rut.

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