2026 Commanders Training Camp

[Voice_of_Reason]

Hopefully Stevens can keep it together the rest of camp. I wonder if they'll bring in another kicker just for the sake of pushing him, or give the roster spot for another position.

If they were going to bring somebody else in, why not just keep the guy who they've already got in the building?

 

[Primus Porcus]

Part of me really wants to ask, "why now?"

I mean, maybe they need the roster spot and maybe they want to give all the work to Stevens going forward.

But flip side, competition is good so why not wait until at least after the next game to keep the pressure up on the young guy?

Maybe…

They want to see if he falls of a cliff once he’s got the job
They want to give moody time to latch on elsewhere
They believe in Stevens and think it’s more valuable to get the full timeshare for the rest of the preseason…


I dunno?

 

[burgold]

Semi-related. I'm kinda excited that for once we had a competition that turned out to be a competition.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Maybe…

They want to see if he falls of a cliff once he’s got the job
They want to give moody time to latch on elsewhere
They believe in Stevens and think it’s more valuable to get the full timeshare for the rest of the preseason…


I dunno?

I think it's probably #3.

I've seen #2 mentioned a bunch, I don't see it. I mean, maybe it's a nice side benefit. But I don't think they did something to help Moody that could hurt them in any way.

And for #1, they really better be as sure as they can be that won't happen. But I guess they'll find out tomorrow...

 

[Conn]

Part of me really wants to ask, "why now?"

I mean, maybe they need the roster spot and maybe they want to give all the work to Stevens going forward.

But flip side, competition is good so why not wait until at least after the next game to keep the pressure up on the young guy?

I won’t say it was the right move, I have no idea but it’s what I was hoping for…but I think two reasons:

1. More reps kicking all the FG’s and kickoffs now, like you said

2. Knowing when to stoke the fire, this is an UDFA rookie kicker. If they’re pretty damn sure it’s going to be him, might be the right time to show him you believe in him. Get him to go from winning the battle with a chip on his shoulder, to doing the job with the confidence of someone who won it. And see how he responds. You hope you’re grooming a longtime kicker here, so at some point you have to let him kick WITHOUT a job on the line day-to-day and see if his mental state holds up, since it’s such a mental position. If he can do it, great. If he can’t, better to know sooner than later, but at least you get to see him produce (or not) in the mindset of a guy who’s found out he belongs in the NFL

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Semi-related. I'm kinda excited that for once we had a competition that turned out to be a competition.

The LG competition was a real competition too.

Then Tunsil got hurt and ended the competition because they both won! Paul got the LG job and Coleman got the LT job.

You get a job and you get a job and you get a job and you get a job!!!!

 

[Primus Porcus]

I think it's probably #3.

I've seen #2 mentioned a bunch, I don't see it. I mean, maybe it's a nice side benefit. But I don't think they did something to help Moody that could hurt them in any way.

And for #1, they really better be as sure as they can be that won't happen. But I guess they'll find out tomorrow...

No.1 makes the most sense as scarred as we are as fans. Let him throw up all over himself now… not week 6

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I won’t say it was the right move, I have no idea but it’s what I was hoping for…but I think two reasons:

1. More reps kicking all the FG’s and kickoffs now, like you said

2. Knowing when to stoke the fire, this is an UDFA rookie kicker. If they’re pretty damn sure it’s going to be him, might be the right time to show him you believe in him. Get him to go from winning the battle with a chip on his shoulder, to doing the job with the confidence of someone who won it. And see how he responds. You hope you’re grooming a longtime kicker here, so at some point you have to let him kick WITHOUT a job on the line day-to-day and see if his mental state holds up, since it’s such a mental position. If he can do it, great. If he can’t, better to know sooner than later, but at least you get to see him produce (or not) in the mindset of a guy who’s found out he belongs in the NFL

See, that wasn't cynical at all.



I agree.

 

[Commander Wraith]

After watching some stuff back, I was really impressed with Togiai at guard. Played left and right, and looked really athletic - which I suppose is unsurprising given his RAS score - especially compared with the other olinemen.
He also maintained his blocks quite well, I wouldn’t have guessed he was a rookie. IMV he (or maybe Gulbin?) was our top OL among the 2s/3s.

 

[SkinsGuy99]

Part of me really wants to ask, "why now?"

I mean, maybe they need the roster spot and maybe they want to give all the work to Stevens going forward.

But flip side, competition is good so why not wait until at least after the next game to keep the pressure up on the young guy?

Might be because they've decided on Stevens already, but they like Moody and want to give him a chance to join another team before it's too late and all the kicker slots are filled. 🤔

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Might be because they've decided on Stevens already, but they like Moody and want to give him a chance to join another team before it's too late and all the kicker slots are filled. 🤔

I just doubt they care that much about a kicker who was on the squad for not even a full season.

 

[Primus Porcus]

I just doubt they care that much about a kicker who was on the squad for not even a full season.

Peters signed Moody in San Fran. These guys are still humans, and looking at treating people the 'right' way is a real thing.

We've had a fair amount of 'early' releases, not holding them to their final moment. They very well may have the idea that they dont want to string guys along. It's the professional thing to do, regardless of tenure.

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

I just doubt they care that much about a kicker who was on the squad for not even a full season.

Supposedly it works well to attract the borderline guys, UDFA guys etc as a team that does well by them. So agents are more likely to recommend this team over a team that doesn't.

Supposedly. I'm not sure if that theory actually holds water or not.

 

[Primus Porcus]

Supposedly it works well to attract the borderline guys, UDFA guys etc as a team that does well by them. So agents are more likely to recommend this team over a team that doesn't.

Supposedly. I'm not sure if that theory actually holds water or not.

Considering the change in opinion with free agents over the last 2 - 3 years.... we're largely in a different place when it comes to the opinion of free agents and wanting to sign here.. they're doing something right

 

[DWinzit]

Peters signed Moody in San Fran. These guys are still humans, and looking at treating people the 'right' way is a real thing.

We've had a fair amount of 'early' releases, not holding them to their final moment. They very well may have the idea that they dont want to string guys along. It's the professional thing to do, regardless of tenure.

I agree with you, releasing early to allow them a shot with another team is the decent thing to do.

My only question would be when is too early to release them. What if the player that appears to have beat them out injures themselves in the final days or weeks before the season kicks off? Then you may have hurt your own team.

The other scenario would be if you had a plan in place to replace them and things beyond our control occur after the release and before you have another player on your roster to replace them...see the Biadasz release combined with missing out on one FA you wanted bad, another C on a team with a surprise retirement and another injured for another team causing chaos at that position with few other FA options. Our C position does not look good without Allegretti and we aren't sure it looks good with him.

You know the old saying, ""nice guys finish last". Just saying...

 

[Boone]

Releasing a kicker is a completely different thing than releasing an offensive lineman. You only need and carry one kicker - period. So picking one and letting the other go is standard practice.

I've already gone on record as to what I think about doing players under contract 'a solid' when it potentially hurts your own roster. That's exactly what they did with Biadasz and it is already biting us in the ass. It's not like keeping a guy as a 2nd stringer (making the same exact salary he was making as a starter) is some kind of hardship.

 

[HTTR]

For me you’re paying him anyway, so why not keep him around just in case Stevens pulls a hamstring or something? Feels like we’re jumping the gun again on releasing guys rather than waiting till the last minute. That said, reading through the posts you guys have given some pretty good reasons for it. So no big deal, kickers like Moody are a dime a dozen.

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[Conn]

 

[Kalu44]

Lots of info to unpack there.

1. Stevens 6/6 was especially nice to see given no competition.

2. Hope our stud DEs are ok.

3. I’m not sure Newton makes the team, it may be time to cut bait or trade him if possible.

4. Jerome Ford was not going to make the team anyway, as he did nothing to stand out during this preseason.