Why Commanders, Matt Gay may be facing a kicker nightmare for Monday Night Football

The Washington Commanders are taking an odd approach to their kicker position.

The Commanders play on Monday Night Football, and Matt Gay is questionable.

But just before they needed to have something figured out on Monday, they had yet to figure it out.

Gay was added to the injury report on Friday with a back problem.

The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala laid out the options on X:

"If he's unable to go, the team has until 4 p.m. to make alternative plans — elevate someone from p-squad (no kickers on PS currently), sign a K to the PS and elevate him or go with the guys they have. Could also sign a K to the PS, elevate him and keep Gay as questionable until they have to declare inactives 90 minutes before kickoff."

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The first weird part here is that the Commanders don't already have a kicker on the practice squad. Not every team does, but it's certainly a safe approach to take.

Maybe they know Gay's injury isn't that bad and aren't worried, but given that a plugged-in beat writer like Jhabvala didn't have more clarity a bit before the deadline, it doesn't sound done and dusted, either.

The Commanders' punter is Tress Way, for whatever that may be worth in a kicking nightmare scenario.

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It's highly unlikely Washington would go into MNF against the Kansas City Chiefs without feeling good about the kicker spot. So maybe Gay is fine, or maybe news of a signing is coming soon.

But it's taken a while, and it's an added uncertainty that the Commanders really don't need in a game that they're already missing QB1 Jayden Daniels in.

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