The Detroit Lions have given kicker Jake Bates every opportunity to wrap up the job after not bringing anyone in following the season-ending injury to Michael Badgley, but on Saturday he showed the team needs another option in some form or fashion.
Bates lined up for his first field goal of the preseason Week 3 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third quarter, and it was a chip shot from 30 yards out. However, Bates missed the kick wide right.
As if that wasn't enough, Bates, who was once a kickoff specialist in college, had a pair of kickoff violations to set the Steelers up at the 40-yard line. Bates did manage to redeem himself a bit with a 46-yard make in the fourth quarter, but he barely squeezed it through the uprights.
Bates is good from 46#PITvsDET | 📺 Lions TV Network pic.twitter.com/KOjU0l6MCE
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 24, 2024
Bates' leg strength has never been in question, as he has routinely made big kicks in the UFL and during training camp and the preseason. But concerns over his ability to be consistent are very real, and that was proven once again in the exhibition finale.
Bates had been building momentum in recent weeks after having some struggles in training camp. Not only was he bombing long field goals in practice, he was also 5-for-5 in the preseason before Saturday, although he did miss an extra point in preseason Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
None of this is to say that the Lions should just cut Bates and move on, but they do need to give themselves another option, whether that comes in the form of direct competition or keeping a kicker on the practice squad. There is simply too much riding on this season to have such a shaky situation at the position.
The Lions have to cut their offseason roster down to 53 players by Tuesday, Aug. 27. It's unlikely Detroit adds a kicker before then, but you can bet your bottom dollar there will be one on the practice squad to start the season.
