Commanders set to waive kicker Jake Moody, reopening the kicking competition in Washington

Washington’s decision to waive Jake Moody comes after his spring re-signing and a six-appearance stint in 2025, a move that is expected to create salary-cap flexibility for the organization.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Washington Commanders are preparing to waive kicker Jake Moody, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz as reported by Pro Football Rumors. If the move is executed as described, it would mark the latest turn in Moody’s time in Washington and reset the team’s path for securing a kicker ahead of the regular season.

Moody’s stint with the Commanders began after he was non-tendered as a restricted free agent, only to re-sign with the team during the spring. That sequence matters because it frames the waiver as an organizational decision made after the team already carried Moody into the season-building cycle, then moved on after evaluating his fit.

The same report notes Moody made six appearances with Washington in 2025. In the NFL, that kind of usage often reflects a team’s need to test consistency, handle game-to-game reliability, and weigh veteran options against internal projections. With another roster decision now reportedly in motion, Washington appears ready to go in a different direction.

Financially, Pro Football Rumors reports the decision will free up $1.58 million for the Commanders. Waivers tied to salary-cap accounting are common at this stage of roster construction, when teams seek room to finalize the rest of their depth chart while managing guaranteed or near-guaranteed obligations.

The Commanders’ kicking situation has direct, practical implications. Field goals and extra points can decide tight games, and teams typically want a kicker who settles quickly in the team’s routine. A waiver also indicates that Washington may be more comfortable with another option, whether that is a competing kicker already in camp or a new addition.

For fans and roster-watchers, the immediate question is who steps into the competition next. Since this is being reported as a waiver, the follow-on story will likely focus on the player(s) the Commanders keep or acquire to cover kickoffs, field goals, and extra points, plus whether Washington adjusts its special-teams approach to match the new kicking option.

As with any transaction headline reported through a third-party source, confirmation through team or league transaction logs is the final step. If the waiver is posted officially, it will become the roster anchor point for the rest of Washington’s preseason-level decisions.

Why It Matters

Kicker stability can swing close games, especially if Washington changes personnel late in the roster cycle.
A waiver can create cap flexibility that affects how the Commanders build the rest of the depth chart.
The move likely shifts the special-teams competition, clarifying the team’s short-term priority at the position.
It adds another chapter to how Washington manages restricted-free-agent and re-signing decisions around special teams.

Sources

Key Facts

Pro Football Rumors reported that the Commanders are set to waive kicker Jake Moody.
The report said Moody was non-tendered as a restricted free agent before re-signing with Washington in the spring.
Pro Football Rumors reported Moody made six appearances with the Commanders in 2025.
The report stated the move is expected to free up $1.58 million in salary-cap space.