Joey Slye

Jaguars Sign K Joey Slye

The Jaguars and Commanders are set to complete a free agent swap of kickers. Brandon McManus joined Washington on a new deal last week, and Joey Slye will be taking his place in Duval County.

The latter has agreed to a one-year deal with the Jaguars, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Slye spent the past two full seasons with the Commanders, having impressed at the end of the 2021 campaign. His efforts that season landed him a two-year pact worth $4.2MM to remain in the nation’s capital. McManus took a one-year deal worth $3.6MM to join the Commanders, however, leaving Slye in need of a new opportunity. His Jags deal is now official, per a team announcement.

The 27-year-old will be playing on his fifth career NFL team provided he wins the kicking gig during the offseason. Slye served as the Panthers’ full-time kicker in 2019 and ’20 before splitting time with three franchises the following season. Slye’s first full campaign in Washington saw him convert 25 of 30 field goal attempts, one of his better showings but a drop-off in accuracy compared to his perfect audition period prior to signing his new deal. In 2023, the former UDFA’s success rate dropped to 79.2% (19-of-24 on field goal kicks).

Slye also missed a combined seven extra points across the past two seasons, so it comes as little surprise the Commanders elected to let him depart and moved quickly in adding a replacement. The Virginia Tech product could see competition brought in during the latter waves of free agency or the draft, as was the case with Washington last offseason. The Commanders added Michael Badgley as an alternative option, but he was ultimately released in August after Slye fended him off for the placekicking role.

The latter will join an otherwise-intact kicking battery in Jacksonville. Both punter Logan Cooke and long snapper Ross Matiscik are under contract for 2024 and beyond, so the team will have stability at those positions moving forward. Slye will look to earn a short- and long-term opportunity with the Jaguars this offseason.

Commanders Release K Michael Badgley

The Commanders’ kicking competition is over. Washington is releasing K Michael Badgley, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets, which means that Joey Slye will remain the team’s placekicker.

After two disappointing seasons with the Panthers from 2019-20 that saw him post a poor 79.4% success rate on field goal tries, Slye had three-game cameos with the Texans and 49ers in 2021 before winding up in the nation’s capital for the second half of that season. His performance (12/12 on field goal attempts, 9/10 on extra point attempts) earned him a two-year contract last April.

Unfortunately, the 2022 campaign was not as successful, as Slye hit on just 83.3% of his FG attempts and missed four of his 28 PATs. Badgley, meanwhile, also had an 83.3% FG conversion rate in 12 games with the Lions last season, though he made all 33 of his PATs. Detroit re-signed him in March, and while it appeared as if he was the frontrunner in the club’s kicking battle, he was released last month. He quickly caught on with the Commanders but will have to search for another new home.

Now 28, Badgley has been unable to replicate the success he enjoyed during his 2018 rookie season with the Chargers. His 93.8% success rate on field goals and 96.4% success rate on PATs that year earned him his “Money Badger” nickname and appeared to solidify him as a fixture on the Bolts’ special teams unit for the foreseeable future. However, he appeared in just eight games in 2019 due to injury, and he endured an awful 2020, converting 72.7% of his field goal tries and missing several crucial kicks. The Chargers cut him prior to the 2021 season, and he bounced around to the Titans, Colts, Bears, and Lions over the next two years.

Washington has played one preseason game this summer, a 17-15 victory over the Browns. In that contest, Slye hit his lone FG attempt, a 49-yarder, and his only extra point try. Badgley also converted his one extra point attempt and did not get a shot at a field goal. As ESPN’s John Keim tweets, Slye and Badgley performed similarly in training camp with respect to their field goal and PAT work, but Slye had the clear advantage in terms of kickoffs.

Commanders Re-Sign K Joey Slye

The Commanders will be retaining their kicker for the short-term future. The team announced on Monday that Joey Slye has be re-signed. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds that the sides have agreed on a two-year deal with a maximum value of almost $5MM. (Twitter link). 

Like many others at his position, Slye has bounced around during his three years in the NFL. He spent two seasons with the Panthers, converting 54 of 68 field goal attempts (79.4%). He also went 64-for-71 on extra point tries. Carolina cut him on the eve of the 2021 season, though, after they traded for Ryan Santoso.

That led him to the Texans, although he only played in three games for them. He made the same number of appearances with the 49ers shortly thereafter, before finally ending up in the nation’s capital. The Virginia Tech product stabilized the kicking situation in Washington, making all 12 of his field goals and missing just one extra point.

That success rate has earned him this multi-year deal, and a degree of stability for the first time since his Carolina days. With Slye in place, Washington can move forward with a relatively strong kicking game and an element to what they hope will be an improved offense.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/16/22

Here’s a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

NFL COVID List Updates: 12/25-12/26/21

We’ve compiled a list of players who were placed on or activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Christmas and today. In some instances, players activated from the list remain on IR:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Placed on practice squad/COVID-19 list: WR Steven Sims

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/21

Here are Thursday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

  • Signed to active roster: LB Sam Kamara

Houston Texans 

New York Jets

  • Signed off 49ers’ practice squad: S Kai Nacua

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Designated for return: OL Jamarco Jones

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Washington To Sign K Brian Johnson

The Washington Football Team is moving on to its fourth kicker of the season. In the wake of Joey Slye‘s injury, Washington has agreed to sign kicker Brian Johnson off the Bears’ practice squad (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).

[RELATED: Washington K Joey Slye To Miss Time]

Johnson, a Virginia Tech alum, actually succeeded Slye as the Hokies’ kicker. He kept that job from 2018 through 2020 and sank 20 of his 26 field goals as a senior. After graduation, he hooked on with the Bears’ taxi squad, before being plucked by the Saints in October.

Johnson went on to make all eight of his field goals across four games. Unfortunately, he also bricked three point-after attempts across his last two games in New Orleans, including a pair that cost them a win over the Titans. The Saints moved on to Brett Maher, but Johnson will have a chance at redemption in D.C. He’ll try to match Slye’s mostly solid work in Washington — 6-of-6 on FGs with only one missed/blocked XP.

Washington K Joey Slye To Miss Time

Washington kicker Joey Slye will be out for at least three weeks, according to head coach Ron Rivera (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post). It’s not yet official, but Slye will “more than likely” land on the injured reserve list given the timeframe for recovery.

Slye injured his left leg last night while chasing down Seahawks defensive lineman Rasheem Green. As Green took his blocked XP back for two points, Slye slipped, fell, and had to be taken out of the game. After that, Washington had punter Tress Way handle kickoffs, but they opted against going for any field goals.

Slye signed with D.C. in November 9th to serve as their third kicker of the season. Since then, he’s nailed all six of his field goals while going 5-of-6 on extra point tries (he can thank Green for the lone blemish). Slye may be able to return by Week 17 but, in the interim, Washington will have to evaluate outside options.

On the plus side, running back J.D. McKissic is “all good” after his neck injury, according to agent Doug Hendrickson (on Twitter). They’ll hope for similar news on center/guard Wes Schweitzer, who was forced out of last night’s game with an ankle injury.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/21

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/21

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Football Team