The Redskins announced today that they have signed free agent kicker Billy Cundiff and waived kicker Graham Gano.
The move was foreshadowed in head coach Mike Shanahan's comments yesterday, when discussing the results of the kicking competition between Gano and Neil Rackers.
"There's always a lot of possibilities that could occur before the first game with everybody at every position," Shanahan said yesterday. "Graham has always been consistent but it's kickers who are in the game when it counts."
Cundiff (6-1, 212) was originally signed as a college free agent by the Dallas Cowboys on April 29, 2002.
He has appeared in 101 regular season games, connecting on 132-of-172 field goals and 200-of-201 PATs. He has also made 12-of-14 field goals in nine postseason games.
In 2010, as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, Cundiff earned his first Pro Bowl appearance after connecting on 26-of-29 field goals and tying a then-NFL record of 40 touchbacks (kickoffs were at the 30-yard-line from 1994-2010).
He was also named to the 2010 Associated Press All-Pro team, Pro Football Weekly All-NFL team, PFW/PFWA All-NFL first team and Pro Football Weekly Golden Toe award recipient.
Last season, Cundiff led the Ravens with a career-high 122 points, connecting on 28-of-37 field goals and all 38 PATs. He also had 44 touchbacks, which ranked tied for second in the AFC and seventh in the NFL.
He appeared in 53 games for the Cowboys during the 2002-04 seasons and Weeks 11-16 of the 2005 season. He was released by the Cowboys on Dec. 26, 2005.
After a brief 2006 offseason stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cundiff signed with the Green Bay Packers on March 28, 2006, before being released on Aug. 17.
He then signed with the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 24, where he appeared in Weeks 12-16 of the 2006 season.
Cundiff was out of football during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He returned to football in 2009 and signed with the Detroit Lions on Aug. 26, before being released on Sept. 6.
He then signed with the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 26, where he appeared in Weeks 3-7, before being released on Nov. 3. Cundiff signed with the Ravens on Nov. 18, where he remained for the rest of the 2009 season.
Cundiff, 32, played collegiately at Drake, where he finished his collegiate career with school records for points (284), field goals made (49), field goal attempts (79) and PATs (137).
He attended Harlan Community H.S. in Harlan, Iowa, where he was three-time All-State selection. He was born on March 30, 1980.
Gano (6-2, 196) was entering his third official NFL season. He has connected on 59-of-80 field goals, all with the Redskins.
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