Adam Peters calls in a familiar face to help repair a mistake at a position the Commanders can't seem to get right
The Washington Commanders have had plenty of issues on their roster dating back to last season, and a majority of them have led to the 3-8 record heading into the bye week.
The team headed back home with their sixth straight loss after falling to the Miami Dolphins thanks to critical mistakes at the end of the game. One issue with the team has been staring them in the face since training camp, and their negligence in the position came back to haunt them on Sunday.
Head coach Dan Quinn wasted no time making a change by releasing Matt Gay on Monday as the bye week kicks off, and general manager Adam Peters called in someone he knows to help fill the roster spot.
Commanders sign kicker Jake Moody to replace Matt Gay
The Commanders refused to bring in any kicking competition before the season, even after watching Gay struggle in training camp and the preseason, and it never got any better during the season. Gay finished his time in Washington kicking at 68.4%, and missed two field goals against the Dolphins, including what would've been the game-winner. Now the Commanders needed a new kicker, and they had a quick response to fill in.
Peters called in Jake Moody and signed him off of the Chicago Bears' practice squad and onto their active roster.
Moody was a third-round pick for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, which was Peters' last season there before coming to Washington as the general manager. He struggled with the 49ers before they released him this season, but he actually looked much better with the Bears, and went 8-9 in field goals, including a game-winner over the Commanders.
The Commanders need Jake Moody to be the answer
The Commanders have been through a kicking carousel since Peters and Quinn took over, and for whatever reason, they haven't been able to figure out the kicking position, no matter who they tried. Moody is still only 25 years old until next week, so banking on a younger guy would be the best-case scenario, but that's still a big ask for a player who has had a roller coaster of a career.
Sometimes players need a change of scenery, though, especially kickers, and now Moody has six games after the bye week to audition as the kicker for next season. The Commanders shouldn't draft one since they don't have many picks anyway, so Moody is the right move to make, or they'll bring in another free agent after the season if he doesn't work out either.
Eagles Get Devastating Injury News on $163 Million All-Pro
This is the kind of adversity the Philadelphia Eagles have avoided to this point in the season. Now, they’ll have to figure out how to replace one of the NFL’s elite players.
Multiple reports on Monday, November 17, said that 5-time NFL All-Pro right offensive tackle and 2-time Super Bowl champion Lane Johnson could land on injured reserve and miss 4-6 weeks with a Lisfranc sprain in his foot suffered in a 16-9 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 11.
“Eagles five-time All-Pro OT Lane Johnson suffered a Lisfranc injury during Sunday night’s win over the Lions, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account. “It is not expected to be a season ending injury, but he could be headed to injured reserve.”
Johnson left the game against the Lions and didn’t return, as did center Cam Jurgens. Johnson was replaced in the lineup by Fred Johnson.
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound Johnson is widely considered one of the greatest offensive linemen not just in Eagles history but in NFL history and a likely future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Johnson is in his 13th season and signed a 1-year, $25 million contract extension this offseason and has approximately $163.4 million in career earnings.
“Eagles OT Lane Johnson, one of the game’s best, suffered a Lisfranc sprain Sunday,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account. “He’s out the next 4-6 weeks because of the foot injury, but will seek a second opinion and more tests. This likely lands him on IR, but belief is not season-ending.”
Injuries Have Dogged O-Line All Season
Johnson’s latest injury underlined bigger injury issues the Eagles have dealt with all season on the offensive line when it comes to their 5 projected starters.
“Here’s an underrated Eagles storyline that could explain Philadelphia’s offensive struggles: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen and Lane Johnson have played every offensive snap in just ONE game this season,” Philly Special’s Anthony DiBona wrote on his official X Account.
“It feels like Lane Johnson might be getting to the point of his career that Jason Peters was at the end, where he’s still really good when he’s on the field, but injuries pull him off relatively frequently,” Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly wrote on X.
“Lane Johnson is a first ballot HOF and one of the best Eagles of all time,” Eagles fan Patrick Philly PMC wrote on his official X account. “But Father Time is undefeated. The Eagles need to find his replacement.”
In Week 10, Johnson left a Monday Night Football win over the Green Bay Packers with an ankle injury and returned to the game.
Now, the Eagles will likely have to figure out how to maneuver the rest of the season without one of the NFL’s dominant blockers.
“The good news is Fred Johnson is a solid Lane Johnson replacement for a few weeks,” Go Birds Pod podcast host Eliot Shorr-Parks wrote on his official X account. “The bad news is now that 6-man OLine they have loved this season is now worse with Matt Pryor in Fred’s place.
