General manager Adam Peters ruthlessly ended the kicking competition by releasing veteran Jake Moody after a wayward summer that saw undrafted rookie Drew Stevens pull well clear performance-wise. And the Washington Commanders immediately filled the void with an intriguing roster arrival.
According to Mark Zenuitz of CBS Sports, the Commanders are signing linebacker Kyrs Barnes following a successful tryout. This is the second arrival to the defensive second level in a matter of days, with Curtis Jacobs also joining the club shortly before their preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins.
This might seem strange to fans, given that the linebacking corps is expected to be a strength. Barnes might end up being nothing more than a camp body, but his arrival speaks to one thing above all else.
Commanders' signing Krys Barnes turns up the heat on special teams hopefuls
Special teams coverage.
Barnes is a big, fast linebacker with some flashes of production throughout his career. He played seven times for the Carolina Panthers last season, starting three games. While his influence on the defensive rotation is sketchy, he's established himself as a decent special-teams presence in recent years.
This is arguably where the Commanders need help.
Their special-teams coverage came under criticism during joint practice with the Dolphins. It improved slightly during the warm-up game with Miami, but this up-and-down standard hasn't gone unnoticed by Peters.
Jacobs was the first. Now, the Commanders want to see if Barnes can make a significant difference as a special-teams presence.
The Commanders lost Nick Bellore to retirement just before training camp. His influence on special teams needs no introduction, and it's clearly being missed. Washington is still scrambling to find the right answers, and Barnes is the latest to get a shot.
At 6-foot 2 and 229 pounds, Barnes might be undersized to be a productive option in the starting lineup, but the Commanders don't need him for that.
Krys Barnes has special-teams value the Commanders might need this season
They have Sonny Styles, Frankie Luvu, Leo Chenal, and maybe even Jordan Magee for that. But with Bellore no longer around, the new signing may fancy his chances of moving ahead of players such as Ale Kaho and Kain Medrano with a quick transition.
That will be difficult, but not impossible by any stretch of the imagination.
Barnes has been waiting for an opportunity. It's now arrived, and he is experienced enough to slot right in with a view to making an impression whenever his number is called.
If Peters isn't entirely satisfied with something, he won't hesitate to make the desired changes. The Commanders have too much at stake to let things play out. Drastic action is constantly needed, and the acquisition of Barnes raises the stakes for everyone looking to make the team.
Competition breeds success. Peters wanted to increase urgency this offseason, and even though Barnes could amount to nothing, it no doubt turns up the heat with just a couple of weeks left until final cuts.
It'll be interesting to see how the dynamic shakes out. But it would be a big surprise if Barnes wasn't heavily involved on the special teams side during Washington's preseason outing at the Detroit Lions this weekend.
And if he performs well, anything can happen.
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