The Washington Commanders seem like they’re on a path to have a new kicker in 2026.
“Sources: The Commanders are not planning to tender K Jake Moody as an RFA,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account on Tuesday. “He will become a free agent. The 26-year-old was 18/20 on FGs last year during his time in Chicago and Washington, including 2/2 from 50+, with a long of 56.”
The Commanders moved quickly to replace kicker Matt Gay after a terrible performance in a Week 11 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Madrid, Spain, by signing Moody, a former 3rd round pick, off the Chicago Bears practice squad on November 17.
Against the Dolphins, Gay missed a 56-yard field goal attempt with 10 seconds left, which would have won the game for the Commanders.
The Commanders entered the season as legitimate Super Bowl contenders but saw the season come off the rails due to a series of injuries as they stumbled to a 5-12 record.
Commanders fans were already familiar with Moody. He set the Bears franchise record for a kicker’s 1st game with 4 field goals in a 25-24 win over the Commanders in Week 6, including a game-winning 38-yard field goal as time expired.
“Chicago Bears kicker Jake Moody’s signature moment of the 2025 season came against the Washington Commanders back in October,” Bears Wire’s Brandon Sugrue wrote after Moody signed. “Now, he gets the opportunity to become their starting kicker for the rest of the season.”
Jake Moody Rare Kicker as Early-Round Pick
Moody was the rare early-round draft pick for a kicker, with the San Francisco 49ers taking him in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Michigan.
The low point of Moody’s career occurred with the 49ers and had to do with current Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel — another free agent in 2026. Samuel made the unwise decision to confront Moody during a 2024 regular season game following some missed kicks.
“Samuel’s frustration with his and the team’s struggles boiled over a couple of times in 2024,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote in March 2025. “In a November win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Samuel confronted kicker Jake Moody after his third missed field goal of the game. When long snapper Taybor Pepper stepped in to defend Moody, it led to a back-and-forth with some small shoves before the sides were separated.”
Problems With Kickers Date Back 2 Years
The Commanders’ problems with kickers date back 2 years, to when they signed Brandon McManus to a 1-year, $3.6 million free agent contract before the 2024 season.
Just 3 months later, McManus was released just days after news broke he was being accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed by two women over his alleged actions on overseas flight to London last year while he was playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
McManus was the only kicker on the Commanders roster at the time of his release and later cleared of the charges. Washington ended up using 5 different kickers in 2024 with Austin Seibert, who set a franchise record with 7 field goals in 1 game, along with Zane Gonzalez, Cade York, Greg Joseph and Ramiz Ahmed.
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