The Commanders kept adding to their linebacker room on Tuesday, and this time the move came with a name plenty of D.C. football fans already know: Curtis Jacobs.
Washington announced it had signed the former DC Defenders linebacker, bringing in a player who has already made his mark in the area. The team did not make a corresponding move with the afternoon announcement, though two players were released earlier in the day when the Byron Cowart signing became official.
Jacobs enters a linebacker group that already includes Sonny Styles, Leo Chenal and Frankie Luvu, along with Jordan Magee, Kain Medrano and Ale Kaho. It’s an athletic collection, and Jacobs now slides into the mix as another option for the Commanders.
The 24-year-old was originally signed by Kansas City as an undrafted free agent in 2024, even though he also went to the Defenders as a draft pick that same year. He spent time on practice squads with several teams but never found a long-term home.
At Penn State, the Glen Burnie, Md., native put together a solid run with the Defenders, finishing with 42 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery in 10 regular-season games.
For Washington, Jacobs looks like a depth addition with special teams value baked in. And that fits the role he seems headed for: a player who can help fill out the roster and contribute in the kicking game.
As part of the earlier roster shuffle tied to the Cowart move, the Commanders released guard Sala Aumavae-Laulu and safety Rob McDaniel on Tuesday morning.
In Other News...
Commanders May Have Found A Surprise Answer To Their Pass Rush
Washington has spent the offseason trying to add more teeth to a pass rush that needs more reliable pressure, bringing in edge rushers Odafe Oweh and KLavon Chaisson while also using the draft to add linebacker Sonny Styles. The broader idea is clear: the Commanders want more disruption off the edge and more help making life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks, and camp has already started to sort out who fits into that mix.
One rookie has begun to stand out in that competition, even while he is still getting comfortable in Daronte Jones defensive system. As he works through the playbook, he has shown enough in training camp to get noticed, giving Washington another possible answer at a spot where it can use all the help it can get. The command now is simple enough, even if the path there is not: keep building the rush, and let the young players keep forcing the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Moody Is Putting Washingtons Kicking Decision In Real Doubt
Washingtons kicking picture has taken on an unexpectedly unsettled feel in training camp, and Jake Moody is right in the middle of it. The Commanders brought him in to stabilize a spot that can flip games in a hurry, but his accuracy has slipped in his second and third NFL seasons, leaving the staff to watch every rep a little more closely than planned.
Moody is trying to reclaim the consistency that made him a safer bet earlier in his career, yet the urgency around the job keeps growing. With his future in Washington far from settled, every practice kick now carries a little extra weight, and the Commanders are getting a reminder that even one of the least glamorous positions on the roster can become one of the most scrutinized. [Read more 🡒]