The Washington Commanders open their 2026 preseason against the Miami Dolphins, and Drew Stevens has a real chance to turn a summer competition into a decision.
Most of the starters on offense and defense are expected to see limited, if any, action in the first of three exhibition games for Dan Quinn’s team. Special teams is the exception, and that puts the kicking battle front and center.
Stevens, an undrafted rookie, has been fighting incumbent veteran Jake Moody throughout the offseason program and into training camp. While fans have paid more attention to rookies like linebacker Sonny Styles and wide receiver Antonio Williams, Stevens has quietly made his case.
The early edge appears to be his.
By every sign from camp, Stevens has been the more consistent kicker. He had a rough stretch Monday, when he missed three straight kicks, but Moody also went cold that day with four misses in a row.
Both bounced back Wednesday and finished 6-for-6. Even so, Stevens has looked like the stronger leg in the competition, and he brings more long-term upside.
Kicking update after 9 practices open to the media.
Drew Stevens: 37/42.
Jake Moody is 30/41.
- Stevens has missed two kicks from 50+ and three from inside 50.
- Moody has missed 11 kicks over his last four practices. He’s 16 for his last 27.
- Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) August 11, 2026
How Washington handles the battle through the preseason remains to be seen, but both kickers should get chances. That’s exactly where Stevens can separate himself and make the choice obvious.
The Commanders have already lived through the downside of ignoring the kicking spot. One of the most overlooked mistakes from last season was not bringing in competition for Matt Gay, even as he struggled in camp and the preseason. That instability hurt them in several games, including the loss to the Dolphins in Madrid.
General manager Adam Peters took a different approach this offseason. He brought in Stevens, a young rookie with the chance to become Washington’s answer at the position for the long haul. A dependable kicker matters, and that’s what the Commanders are trying to find.
Now Stevens has to prove it when the lights come on. The preseason gives him that stage, and it starts tonight. If he handles it well, Washington may come out of the night knowing exactly who its kicker is.
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