James Turner is waived by the Lions, cutting the number of kickers competing to two.
It appeared likely that the Detroit Lions would have a three-man competition at kicker during training camp after their official signing of Jake Bates on Tuesday. The Lions announced the waiver of undrafted rookie kicker James Turner along with the official announcement of Bates’ signing.
Turner played his final collegiate season for the national champion Michigan Wolverines, going 18-for-21 on field goals (3-for-4 from 50-plus yards) and 65-for-66 on extra points. The Lions signed him after the draft, under the auspice of adding competition for Michael Badgley.
According to reports from minicamp and OTAs, Turner appeared to have slightly gained an advantage over the seasoned Badgley going into training camp, assuming there would be a real competition for the position. Signing Bates, seemingly at first, only added what should’ve been another equal competitor to win the job.
At kicker, the Lions still have a blind spot.
Up until a certain point, the kicker’s identity is essentially meaningless, and it also relies on the team’s position in the standings. However, it is a different story when your team is strong and having no reliable option from a given field goal distance could influence your strategy choices during crucial moments.
The Lions faced a similar situation with kickers the previous season, as Pride of Detroit is Jeremy Reisman pointed out.
In May 2023, Riley Patterson was added to the roster along with John Parker Romo and Badgley after being reacquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars. During that time, Badgley was the underdog since the Lions chose to compete for the position with both a proven player and a supposed wild card. Badgley was eventually brought back on the practice squad, and he took the job back from Patterson during last season.
Carrying three kickers into training camp would have been a little odd, even with a 90-man roster. Given the similarities between Bates and Turner (basically no NFL experience), Turner was likely to be the first to go from the Lions’ kicking competition.
Beginning with this regime’s inception and continuing into its fourth season, the Lions have been on a kicker carousel. They simply will not go to the extent necessary to replace Badgley, despite his cries for it.
Late last week, UFL kicking sensation Jake Bates was signed by the Detroit Lions to a two-year contract, marking a significant offseason move.
Following his impressive 64-yard field goal in the season opener against the Michigan Panthers, Bates seemed like the Lions’ top choice. Even though the excitement around him subsided during the UFL season, it was still wise to give him a chance because other NFL teams were inevitably interested in him.
