When the Washington Redskins cut the cord with Graham Gano late in the preseason, they signaled the end of a young kicker experiment. They invested two-plus seasons in Gano’s potential but jumped at Billy Cundiff when the Baltimore Ravens released the veteran.
But when Cundiff struggled, the Redskins went back to youth Tuesday and signed Kai Forbath, who has an impressive college pedigree but no NFL experience. He was always waiting for the call from a team.
“Everybody has got inexperience to start out with,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “You’ve got to have an opportunity. We had some great competition on this field, and he won it through the competition. We had a couple other guys that were a little bit more seasoned. One, in particular, was really seasoned. But he performed in a very tough situation.”
While at UCLA, Forbath won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker in 2009. During his college career, he made 85 of 104 attempts, yet he went undrafted in 2011.
Since then, a quadriceps injury kept him from kicking for the Dallas Cowboys, and even a 5-for-5 preseason with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers couldn’t land him a job until this week.
“I’ve talked to a lot of kickers in the league and it’s taken them team to team to team to stay on teams,” Forbath said Wednesday. “Two years, I’m not complaining about that.”
Forbath, 25, has yet to attempt a kick in a regular-season NFL game. Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, he could become the 15th different player to attempt a field goal for the Redskins since 2000, the most in the league during that time.
Forbath is aware of the Redskins’ revolving door of kickers.
“I am, and I’m hoping to stay here for a long time,” he said.
Cundiff hoped for that too. The Redskins cut the 32-year-old after he went 7 for 12 this season, including a crucial miss from 31 yards out in the Week 5 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Asked after the game if he was worried about job security, Cundiff said: “No. It’s not my job to worry, to be perfectly honest with you. It’s my job to focus on what I do and make kicks.”
That’s Forbath’s idea, too. He wasn’t worried about beating out veterans Olindo Mare and Josh Brown during Tuesday’s competition for the Redskins gig and isn’t concerned about Sunday’s debut.
“Go out there and do what I’ve been doing for the last eight years. I’ve been kicking,” Forbath said. “Just focus on my technique and not worry about any of the pressure.”
The pressure could be on most for kicks 50 yards or longer, given that Gano, released in favor of Cundiff, has a career best of 59 yards and that Cundiff missed from 62 and 57. Forbath’s college best was 54 yards.
“It’s something that’s always been in my game, and I work on that just as much as I work on short ones,” he said. “I don’t expect to miss any long ones. Just kick them just like PATs.”
Moss in elite company
After Santana Moss sparked the Redskins with a 77-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown that gave them the lead in the fourth quarter against Atlanta on Sunday, he quietly reached a milestone.
Moss’ next reception, a ho-hum 3-yarder, was his 500th with the Redskins. That put him among elite company.
Only three other players have caught 500 passes with the Redskins: Gary Clark (549) and Hall of Famers Art Monk (888) and Charley Taylor (649).
“I’m happy because a lot of people don’t get the opportunity,” Moss said. “I’m humbled, too, at the same time. I appreciate the honor. I appreciate being up there with those guys, but I know I’m still out here doing it.”
Moss joined the Redskins in 2005. In four years with the New York Jets prior to that, he had 151 receptions. For his career, he has 9,319 receiving yards and 58 receiving touchdowns.
Addison gets a shot
Ranked 24th in the NFL in sacks and wanting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the Redskins likely will be trying a lot to improve in that area.
One long-term way could be with the help of linebacker Mario Addison, signed off the Indianapolis Colts practice squad.
Addison might not be active Sunday against the Vikings after replacing Markus White on the roster, but he knows what the Redskins want from him.
“They told me they wanted me to get out to the quarterback,” the 25-year-old said. “I’ve got great speed, I’ve got a good first step and I’m able to do that.”
Injury report
In addition to Robert Griffin III (concussion), cornerback Cedric Griffin (hamstring) was limited in Wednesday’s practice, Shanahan said. … Defensive end Doug Worthington (calf) did not practice. … Running back Evan Royster (knee) and wide receiver Brandon Banks (hip) returned to full participation.
• Rich Campbell can be reached at rcampbell@washingtontimes.com.
• Stephen Whyno can be reached at swhyno@washingtontimes.com.
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