Reports: Redskins will sign punter Tress Way to a four-year extension
The Washington Redskins are making a move to retain Tress Way long-term moving forward.
The month of December has been a very kind one to Tress Way. The Washington Redskins punter qualified for his first Pro Bowl midway through the month and now, it looks like he’s going to be getting a new contract.
According to multiple reports including NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Way is expected to sign a four-year extension with the Redskins after the season ends. The deal will pay Way more than $15 million.
This is good news for the Redskins. While they have largely struggled for the last season and a half, Way hasn’t been a part of that. After all, he has been the league’s best punter over the course of the last two years.
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In 2018, Way was a Pro Bowl snub after leading the league in punts inside the 20-yard line (41) without notching a touchback. Being able to do that is remarkable, but Michael Dickson got the nod over him instead.
This season, Way has continued to shine as the ‘Skins punter. He is third in the league in net average (43.8 yards per punt) among punters who have kicked 40 times this season. Additionally, he has continued to excel at pinning opponents deep. He has 29 punts inside the 20, good for sixth-best in the league, and just three touchbacks this season.
Way, 29, is still in his prime and is being paid appropriately for his services. His extension will essentially lock him into a five-year deal worth somewhere between $16.5 and $17 million, which means he’ll make an average of $3.3 to $3.4 million per season. That would rank third among punters, behind just Thomas Morstead and Johnny Hekker.
While some will argue that a team shouldn’t use too many resources on a punter, the Redskins have a great one in Way. They’re paying him roughly the market value for his services for the next five years, and even if his salary during the four years of his extension tops the NFL, he has proven to be worth it for the squad.
This move should help Washington build positive momentum in the lead up to what will be an important offseason. We’ll soon get more clarity about how the team chooses to address their needs at the head coaching spot and what their plans are for the front office.