The Detroit Lions were set to have a competition for the kicker job in training camp between Jake Bates and Michael Badgley, but that specific battle is no more after Badgley suffered a season-ending injury.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell announced the news on Friday morning. And, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Badgley suffered a torn hamstring in practice and will be placed on season-ending injured reserve.
That leaves Bates as the Lions' lone option for now, but Campbell said the team has brought in more kickers for workouts already, which means it's a matter of when, not if, Detroit will sign another kicker.
And they should. Granted, Bates has been impressive early on in training camp after a standout season in the UFL, but he isn't a sure thing by any means.
With that in mind, we're taking a look at three free-agent kickers the Lions should target in the wake of Badgley's injury.
Free-agent kicker options for Lions
Randy Bullock
Bullock has always been a reliable option wherever he's been during his career, as the veteran kicker sports an 83.4% success rate over 11 seasons. However, he has struggled with longer kicks (15-of-29 from 50-plus).
He appeared in six games for the New York Giants last season, but last, long-term starting job came with the Tennessee Titans, where he made 84.3% of his field goal attempts over two seasons, and was 2-for-3 from 50-plus yards.
Of the three options on this list, Bullock is the safest.
Andre Szmyt
Szmyt was a standout for the St. Louis Battlehawks and likely would have been named to the All-UFL Team if not for Bates' outstanding season.
Szmyt actually topped Bates in field goal percentage in 2024, making 90.5% of his kicks to Bates' 77.3%, and he knocked through a 60-yarder to show he's got plenty of leg. Overall, Szmyt was 4-of-5 from 50-plus.
Matt Coghlin
Our second UFL option, Coghlin was the league's leader in field goal percentage in 2024, making an impressive 94.1% of his kicks for the Memphis Showboats. He also showed some leg power by making 4-of-6 attempts from 50-plus yards, including making a long of 57.
