Dan Quinn has solved a lot of problems in his first year as head coach of the Washington Commanders, but there's one that remains unsolved since pretty much the day he arrived: the kicker position.
To say it's been a revolving door has been an understatement. Since the new league year began back in March, the Commanders have cycled through seven different kickers on their active roster:
- Brandon McManus
- Ramiz Ahmed
- Riley Patterson
- Cade York
- Austin Siebert
- Zane Gonzalez
- Greg Joseph
It's been a mix of many things. McManus was accused of sexual assault for something that happened when he played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, which prompted his release. Ahmed, Patterson, and York were let go for performance reasons. Then, finally, Siebert and Gonzalez have dealt with injury.
It's frustrating to say the least and Quinn admitted as much the last time he spoke with reporters.
"It has been, for sure, and honestly, the people I give a lot of credit to are [long snapper] Tyler [Ott] and [punter] Tress [Way]," said Quinn. "They've had to do the most work. You know, when you're a specialist, there's a lot of very specific skill work that goes into that... How would you like this held, [the] tilt of [the ball] [and] the communication of that...
"... They're the ones that have made it less frustrating, because they really welcomed the next person in. And if you were a person or a teammate coming in, those are the two that you'd like to be with."
It's affected the overall kicking game, as well. Washington has made 80% of field goal attempts, which is currently tied for eighth-worst, while the 94.7% PAT conversion rate is 10th-lowest. The Commanders have also forced opponents into touchbacks on 20.9% of instances, which is dead last. Siebert has easily been the most reliable kicker, but even he had a bad game against the Dallas Cowboys before being placed on IR after the loss.
Gonzalez missed Wednesday's practice, but Quinn pretty much said it was because he and his wife were in the process of welcoming a new baby into the fold. As a matter of fact, it's unclear if it's Joseph or Siebert, but they missed practice for the exact same reason, which is pretty wild to think about. But honestly, it falls right in line with the kicker experience that the Commanders have been a part of in 2024.
"Never a dull moment around here, man. We keep it exciting all the time," Quinn joked. "... There's got to be some type of twin that takes place along that. So both kickers are out today, and hopefully for exciting personal family news."
Kicker is a very important position but fortunately it's not as important as quarterback or receiver, pass rusher, or pretty much everything else outside long snapper and punter. It's been a rollercoaster this year, but it's hard to think Adam Peters and Quinn won't find a permanent solution at some point.
Until then we all just need to strap in and get ready for the ride.
