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Commanders officially have a kicking competition

It's official, folks. The Washington Commanders have a true kicking competition.

The Commanders opened OTAs last week. On the first day of OTAs, reporters were allowed to watch practice, which meant a first look at Washington's many new players. One of those newcomers is rookie kicker Drew Stevens. In most NFL cities, an undrafted rookie kicker is not a big deal. But things are different in Washington.

The Commanders have had a revolving door at kicker in recent years. Last season, the Commanders spent big money on a one-year deal for former Pro Bowl kicker Matt Gay. It didn't go well, and Gay was cut after missing six field goals in 10 games. Veteran Matthew Wright kicked in one game for Washington last season when Gay was out with an injury.

However, when Washington moved on from Gay, it signed former San Francisco third-round pick Jake Moody off the Chicago Bears' practice squad. Only weeks earlier, Moody kicked a game-winning field goal to defeat the Commanders at Northwest Stadium on Monday Night Football.

Moody did well in his audition for Washington, making 10 of 11 field goals, including a long of 56 yards in six games. He was re-signed to a one-year deal in March. After the 2026 NFL Draft, the Commanders chose to bring in some competition for Moody and signed Stevens, a four-time All-Big Ten kicker from the University of Iowa.

This week during OTAs, each kicker had the same opportunity to shine. Stevens made the most of his opportunity, making each one, including a 53-yarder.

Moody didn't hurt his chances either, although he missed one.

This is what you want. The competition should bring out the best in each kicker; otherwise, your decision would be easy. Don't be surprised if this battle isn't decided until the final preseason game. Drew Stevens absolutely has a chance to win the job as an undrafted rookie.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: There's officially a kicking competition

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