Jake Bates has joined the Detroit Lions’ kicking competition, so they will need to manage things carefully to make sure they have the best option going into the season.
Late last week, the Detroit Lions signed UFL kicking sensation Jake Bates to a two-year contract, marking a significant offseason move.
Bates felt like a possible lock to start for the Lions when he made a 64-yard field goal in the season opener against the Michigan Panthers. Throughout the UFL season, that hype subsided, but since other NFL teams were inevitably interested in him, it still made sense to give him a chance.
The Lions’ inability to reliably score from a great distance last season proved to be their undoing in the NFC Championship.
Recognizing that it was the UFL and that the strain in the NFL will be very different, Bates’ leg strength is not a problem.Now, Bates faces off against undrafted rookie James Turner and incumbent veteran Michael Badgley. Turner reportedly outperformed Badgley at minicamp. If there’s anything concerning Bates, it’s his consistency while shooting closer. It had also been since high school that he had not kicked a field goal before making one in his Panthers debut.
In either case, the Lions need a true kicking competition to have the best chance of resolving one of the few remaining issues on their roster.
The Detroit Lions can’t just give Michael Badgley the starting position.
If there has been one problem with
The incapacity of Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell to make wise choices about the kicking game has been a problem throughout their tenure. None of the players—Austin Seibert, Ryan Santoso, Riley Patterson—have truly instilled confidence. Sometimes, poor decisions have made things worse.chose Patterson over Badgley during training camp the previous season after trading a draft pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in order to re-acquire Patterson. That was despite 2022 Badgley’s success in the latter part of the season. The Lions eventually went back to Badgley in the previous season, proving that the decision was a mistake.
Because of his experience, Badgley cannot be viewed as the clubhouse leader this time. For the kicking position, the Lions need to have a true competitor with skill.
the primary distinction and impartiality towards experience. It’s difficult to predict if they will at this time.
Regardless of the winner, the Lions can address their kicking issues and provide head coach Dan Campbell with a respectable option should the need arise. Bates’s signing only serves to emphasize how important it is for Detroit to treat their kicking battle with the utmost seriousness going forward into the season.
