4 Commanders players that got extremely lucky during the 2023 offseason
By Dean Jones
Joey Slye - Commanders K
There is no Washington Commanders player feeling luckier than Joey Slye, one suspects. The kicker didn't perform up to the level expected last season, but Ron Rivera's loyalty and previous association with the player point to him getting another go-around without much competition in 2023.
Washington has a competitive roster and a defense that should be able to keep them in games. That means the margins could be fine between success and failure, which puts the onus squarely on Slye to make the improvements needed.
Whether he's capable of attaining this feat remains to be seen. Slye's career field goal percentage currently stands at 82.9, which is below average at best and something that makes it hard to justify not bringing in anyone to push the Virginia Tech product at training camp.
It's almost blind faith on Rivera's part. There is a long-standing connection between coach and player stemming from their time together on the Carolina Panthers, but attaching emotion is the last thing he should be doing given his seat instantly becomes the league's hottest once Washington's sale is official.
Slye will be on a short leash even at camp, or at least he should be. But the Commanders haven't identified their kicking position with any urgency and it would be surprising if that altered given the lack of reliable options available at this juncture.