The Washington Commanders’ GM Adam Peters was a busy man on Monday, making multiple moves that hint at their early season strategy. Beyond signing veteran running back Craig Reynolds to shore up the backfield after Jeremy McNichols went down with a quad injury, Peters made a bold call at kicker and then doubled down on a very specific team-building philosophy.
One Kicker In, Another Out: The Special Teams Shake-Up
First up, the special teams unit got a serious jolt. The Commanders said goodbye to incumbent kicker Jake Moody, releasing him after he’d been in a camp battle with undrafted rookie Drew Stevens. That’s a huge vote of confidence for Stevens, who now officially has the kicking job. It’s an early-season move that screams “we know what we want” from the front office. When you’re making these kinds of decisions before the season truly ramps up, you’re setting the tone for who leads where.
The UCLA Pipeline Is Flowing Strong in Washington
Then came the linebacker news: Washington is expected to sign veteran Krys Barner. Barner, 28, has bounced around the league a bit since coming in as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He played three seasons with the Green Bay Packers, two with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, and then last season with the Carolina Panthers. Over six NFL seasons, he’s got 75 games played, 33 starts, 303 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and one interception. Solid numbers, right? But the real kicker here is Barner makes six total UCLA players on the Commanders’ roster. Think about that. He joins linebackers Ale Kaho and Kain Medrano, tight end Colson Yankoff, cornerback Fabian Moreau, and safety Qwuantrezz Knight. When you look deeper, it’s no shocker. GM Adam Peters is a UCLA alum himself, and so is linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. This isn’t just a signing, it’s a trend. What are they building over there? It’s interesting because Washington isn’t even dealing with any linebacker injuries, with Medrano and Kaho already battling for a roster spot. Peters clearly has a type, and he’s not afraid to show it.
What does this flurry of activity mean for Washington? It means their general manager isn’t wasting any time shaping this roster exactly how he wants it. These aren’t minor tweaks, especially with a rookie kicker now leading the charge and a clear collegiate pipeline emerging. The early season battles are officially underway, and these moves make you wonder what other surprises Peters has in store.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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