The Lions could look to add some competition at the kicker position soon, but should they use a draft pick to do so?
During his tenure with the Detroit Lions , Dan Campbell has been one of the most aggressive head coaches in the NFL when it comes to his fourth-down decisions. This was on full display as recently as the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers (apologies for the reminder), where the Lions elected twice not to kick the field goal and to convert on fourth down.
These decisions came as no surprise, as those were the types of decisions that got the Lions there in the first place. But you have to wonder whether a lack of trust in their kicker, Michael Badgley, played at least some part in their decision making. Badgley was re-signed early in the offseason, which would be his third season with Detroit. He was money from 54 yards out against the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round which helped propel the Lions to their first postseason victory in decades, but in his career, Badgley is just 38.5 percent (5-of-13) from 50+ yards out. Badgley clearly has earned enough trust from the team to stick around for this long, but it’s likely the team will bring in some competition, and potentially a replacement prior to the start of the season.
Today’s Question of the Day is…
Should the Lions select a kicker in the 2024 NFL Draft?
My answer: Yes.
Now, I normally don’t advocate for drafting a kicker, but I think the Lions are in a special circumstance where it makes plenty of sense. I really like seeing Campbell being aggressive and going for it on fourth downs, but it sure would be nice to at least have the option and the confidence to rely on a kicker with a big leg just in case things aren’t going well offensively. That hasn’t really been an option for the Lions since Campbell’s arrival, unfortunately.
Of course, drafting a kicker is never going to guarantee that you’ve solved your problem. We’ve seen plenty of kickers drafted that haven’t had long and successful careers in the NFL. But I do think the Lions are in a position where it won’t hurt them to try. They have a much deeper roster than they’ve ever had before, and it’s worth the risk to spend a late-round pick on a kicker.
There are some solid options out there this year, with at least a few kickers who have big legs and have had successful college careers. Will Reichard, Joshua Karty, and Harrison Mevis are just a few options they could consider in the upcoming draft.
Let’s hear from you. Should the Lions draft a kicker? And if not, what should they do to address the position?