The Washington Commanders' offseason rolls on into mandatory minicamp this week.
This is where fans will get their first full glimpse of head coach Dan Quinn's 2026 roster. Both hype and panic involving various players will be in full force, and position battles will intensify.
For the Commanders, one of those clashes is a story nobody is really talking about much, yet has the potential to be among the most critical developments of the offseason. That, of course, would be the kicking contest between incumbent Jake Moody and undrafted free agent Drew Stevens.
And there's one direction that everybody is hoping it goes.
Minicamp will be Drew Stevens' chance to prove he's the Commanders' solution
Hopes are high for Stevens, and it's no secret why.
Stevens represents the first time in many years that Washington has brought in a young rookie kicker straight out of college, rather than settling for some retread who's already been passed around the league.
Dustin Hopkins never excited anybody. Neither did Joey Slye. The same goes for Cade York, Austin Seibert, and Zane Gonzalez. Last year, Matt Gay was a disaster, and in his limited opportunities, Moody was inconsistent at best. It was time to finally be brave.
Moody was invited back to camp on a one-year deal, but by all indications, Stevens has been slightly outperforming the 2023 third-round pick.
The Iowa product nailed a 72-yarder during a practice session. Stevens has turned heads throughout organized team activities, but Moody has reportedly responded positively to some extra competition for his starting spot.
Stevens made 76 of his 95 field goal attempts during his four college seasons with the Hawkeyes, and went 124-of-126 on extra points. He was 12-for-19 on kicks of 50 yards or longer, with a career long of 58 yards.
But the NFL is a different animal.
Let us not forget that Moody was once a hot prospect, too. In fact, he was a much hotter one than Stevens.
The two-time Big Ten Kicker of the Year was drafted in the third round for a reason, by a Super Bowl hopeful San Francisco 49ers team at that. No one was expecting him to be on his third team in three years by this point in his career. Moody is in the last-chance saloon, and he knows it.
There are no guarantees, especially when you're an undrafted free agent. As far as we know, Stevens might never be heard from again after this summer.
But he could also be the trustworthy answer Commanders have spent years pining for. Let's see what he can prove.
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