Commanders castoff instantly rockets into key role on playoff contender

The life of a kicker can be a rollercoaster in the NFL. One minute, you're being cast aside, and the next, you are presented with another massive opportunity when all hope was fading. That proved to be the case for Matt Gay, who was cut by the Washington Commanders after another dismal outing in Week 11 against the Miami Dolphins. Gay joined the Commanders this offseason, shortly after he was released by the Indianapolis Colts. He received the most guaranteed money for a kicker on a one-year deal in NFL history, but general manager Adam Peters' big wager didn't go according to plan. The Pro Bowler was erratic, to put it mildly. Gay made just 68.4 percent of his field goals, and most of his misses went wide right. He also doesn't boast the leg strength to be a factor from long distances, which is an absolute necessity in the modern-day NFL. His two missed field goals against the Dolphins in Madrid were the final straw. The Commanders moved swiftly to replace Gay, signing Jake Martin off the Chicago Bears' pra