The Washington Football Team placed kicker Joey Slye on injured reserve with a designation to return on Monday, meaning he will miss a minimum of three weeks. Slye pulled his left hamstring in the first half of Monday’s win over the Seahawks.
Replacing Slye on the roster will be Brian Johnson, who Washington signed off the Chicago Bears practice squad. An interesting note about Johnson is he was the kicker who replaced Slye at Virginia Tech.
Johnson entered the league in 2021 as the Bears signed him as an undrafted free agent. He remained on the practice squad until the Saints signed him to their active roster on Oct. 12. Johnson kicked in four games for the Saints before he was waived on Nov. 19. Four days later, Chicago signed him back to its practice squad.
In those four games, Johnson all eight of his field-goal attempts, including one from 52 yards. However, he missed three of his eight point-after attempts, leading to his release.
Johnson, a Washington, D.C. native from Gonzaga High School, improved each season at Virginia Tech. He never missed a PAT in college and hit three field goals from over 50 yards in his senior season.
Johnson becomes Washington’s fourth kicker of the season. Slye had solidified the position since signing earlier in November. He made all six of his field-goal attempts and five of his six PATs. The one he missed on Monday night was blocked and returned for two points. That’s also when he was injured.
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Slye is expected to return as Washington’s kicker once he’s healthy.