Chargers claim former Redskins kicker Nick Rose off waivers

The Washington Redskins waived Nick Rose in favor of Dustin Hopkins prior to this weekend’s game. His unemployment didn’t last long.

Coming into the 2017 season, Dustin Hopkins was the unchallenged candidate to be the team’s starting kicker. This was a sensible decision given that the Redskins kicker was coming off two straight seasons of making 81 percent or more of his field goals.

However, at the same time, there were some shortcomings with the kicker particularly related to his accuracy from 50-plus yards (5-for-13). When he went down with a hip injury midway through the season, many saw an opportunity for his replacement to win a starting job, provided that he could be accurate from 50-plus yards. Nick Rose ended up being the man who was signed, and he did very well in his eight week run as a starter.

Over the course of his eight games in Washington, Rose went 10-for-11 on field goals and 18-for-20 on extra points. Notably, he made a 55-yard field goal and generally showed off his strong leg. While he was inaccurate on a few shorter range kicks, mostly close to extra point range, he showed upside and poise considering that he had never kicked during the NFL regular season before.