Commanders sign veteran kicker Michael Badgley day before training to compete with Joey Slye, per report

With the Washington Commanders ownership situation resolved, a new conflict arises: a kicking competition! The Commanders signed free agent kicker Michael Badgley Monday evening to compete with incumbent Joey Slye, per a Fox Sports report. Badgley, a 27-year-old who will enter his sixth NFL season in 2023, is set to join his sixth NFL team in as many seasons. He began his career as an undrafted free agent out of Miami, and he spent his first three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers from 2018-2020 where he went 94-115 on field goals (81.7%) and 155-160 (96.9%) on extra points.

Badgley split the 2021 season between the Indianapolis Colts (six games) and the Tennesee Titans (eight games), a year where he made 18 of 22 field goals (81.8%) and 40 of 41 extra points (97.6%). Last season, he split time between two divisional rivals once again, suiting up for both the Chicago Bears (Week 4) and the Detroit Lions (12 games), Badgley drained 20 of his 24 field goal attempts and all 33 of his extra points with Detroit. 

Washington’s returning kicker, Joey Slye, is entering his fifth NFL season on his fourth NFL team. He spent his first two years (2019-2020) with the Carolina Panthers, making 54 of his 68 field goals (79.4%) and 64 of his 71 extra points (90.1%). Slye spent 2021 on three different teams — the Houston Texans (4-5 on field goals, 7-8 on extra points in three games), San Francisco 49ers (7-8 on field goals, 2-4 on extra points in three games), and the Commanders (12-12 on field goals, 9-10 on extra points). As the Commanders full-time kicker for all 17 games last season, Slye made 25 of his 30 field goal attempts (83.3%) and 24-28 (85.7%) of his extra points. 

Michael Badgley vs Joey Slye Career Comparison

Their battle begins Tuesday when veterans report to Commanders training camp at the team’s facility in Ashburn, Virginia.