We close out our Lions 2024 training camp preview series by taking a look the the position battles and players who will benefit from rules changes.
The Detroit Lions rookies report for 2024 training camp on Saturday so it’s time to put a bow on our training camp preview series. After completing both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, we will close things out by looking at the Lions’ special teams units, the battles amongst the specialists, and project which players will benefit from the new kickoff rule.
Previous training camp previews:
- QB: Who will win the backup job?
- RB: Sione Vaki transforms the RB room
- WR: 3 big questions
- TE: Who will win the TE3 job?
- OL: Sorting through depth roles
- IDL: Depth roles up for grabs
- EDGE: Who is ready to step up opposite Aidan Hutchinson?
- LB: Is Jack Campbell ready to take over at MIKE?
- CB: Breaking down the overhauled cornerback room
- S: The domino effect of Brian Branch expanding to safety
Setting the table
Punter
Since making the Pro Bowl and being named a second-team All-Pro in 2020, Jack Fox has entered Lions training camps as the only punter on the Lions roster. In 2022, Detroit gave him a contract extension that made him the highest-paid punter in the NFL, and once again, he enters 2024 training camp unopposed for his spot.
Kicker
The Lions’ situation at kicker has been slightly more complicated. Let’s quickly skim through the timeline.
2021 training camp: Randy Bullock vs. Matthew Wright (both released at cutdowns)
2021 season starter: Austin Seibert (injury)
2021 final season: Riley Patterson
2022 training camp: Seibert vs. Patterson
2022 season starter: Seibert (injury)
2022 final season: Michael Badgley
2023 training camp: Badgley vs. Patterson vs. Parker Romo
2023 season starter: Patterson
2023 final season: Badgley
Now, entering 2024 training camp, Badgley—who signed a 1-year contract this offseason —returns as the incumbent starter, and once again, he will be facing a young kicker with a dynamic leg, this time it’s All-UFL kicker Jake Bates’ turn to enter the fray .
Long snapper
Scott Daly has been the Lions ‘ primary long snapper since beating out Don Muhlbach in 2022. Last year, Daly bested veteran Jake McQuaide in camp, but a mid-season injury ended Daly’s season and the Lions turned back to McQuaide as an injury replacement for the remainder of the year.
This offseason, the Lions re-signed Daly to a 1-year contract , then added undrafted rookie free agent Hogan Hatten for competition.
Kickoff rule change
If you’ve been following along with this preview series, you’ve been thoroughly exposed to the new kickoff rules that are being implemented this season and how they will impact roster construction. If you’re interested in learning more about the process, Shawn Syed of SumerSports did a deep dive into the new kickoff format and examined how these plays were executed in the UFL, as well as the differences between the UFL system and the one being introduced in the NFL.
The battleground
Punter: Jack Fox stands alone
Fox remains one of the best punters in the NFL.
Kicker: Badgley vs. Bates
In Badgley’s time with the Lions—19 games over the past two seasons—he has been a very accurate kicker. In 2022, he successfully made 24 of his 28 field goal attempts (86%) and followed that up with a perfect seven for seven (100%) in 2023.
Despite the impressive accuracy, most believe the Lions have been slow to commit to Badgley because he lacks consistent power in his kicks. In 19 games, Badgley only attempted four field goals from beyond 50 yards, though he has only missed once. His most recent long-distance field goal was a critical 54-yarder in the Playoffs against the Rams, but that was his only attempt at a 50+ yard field goal in 2023. The Lions routinely passed on 50+ yard field goal attempts in 2023, but it’s hard to say if that was due to a lack of confidence in Badgley, or simply a result of coach Dan Campbell’s aggressiveness.
While there is a bit of a “what came first, the chicken or the egg” with the Lions’ approach to kicking from distance, it’s clear that the Lions prefer their kickers to have big legs. In the spring, Badgley had noticeably more range than he did in previous seasons, which helped him beat out big-legged James Turner, and now, Mr. 64-yard game-winner himself, Jake Bates will be in Lions camp for his shot at the job.
Bates’ rise to success is a fantastic story. Bates was originally only utilized as a kickoff specialist, but he was so good at it that he was named All-SEC in 2022. After going undrafted, he signed with the Houston Texans but only saw action in one preseason game (going two of three on extra points) before he was released. Bates signed with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL and in the first game of the season, broke the league record with a 64-yard walk-off field goal to win the game (which took place at Ford Field). Bates would go on to successfully kick two more field goals from beyond 60 yards this past season.
While Bates’ leg is undeniable, there will be some obstacles for him to overcome, most notably his lack of experience. Yes, he kicked in the SEC, with the Texans for a stint, and in the UFL, but that 64-yarder that gained him notoriety was the first time he attempted a field goal in an organized game since high school—where he only attempted one career kick, and missed.
Another obstacle in Bates’ path is the fact that, over the entire UFL season, he successfully made 17 of his 22 attempts. Five misses during a 10-game season isn’t a deal-breaker, but it is worth noting that Bates had more misses over that span than Badgley had in the previous two NFL seasons (4 misses total).
Accuracy vs. Power. This should be a fun battle to watch unfold.
Long snapper: Daly vs. Hatten
Daly injured his right knee in Week 8 and was placed on injured reserve, after showing steady improvement since taking over for Muhlbach.
“He’s going to need surgery,” Campbell said after Daly’s injury. “It’s a tough one to lose. I’m glad you brought him up because he’s been—nobody really talks about Daly. And you don’t talk about the long snapper unless something bad happens, and we hadn’t talked about Daly since Mule was gone. […] Daly, just grew from there. He took the challenge and just grew. He’s been a steady rock for us and he’s improved every year. He’s having the best year that we’ve had. So it hurts. It’s going to hurt to lose him. He’s been really good for us. We’ll figure all of that out and we’ll move forward.”
As with any mid-season injury, the Lions need insurance at the position and brought in Hatten for competition. As Campbell noted, long snappers aren’t frequently talked about, so digging up information can be challenging, but it is worth noting that Hatten will bring a 9.89 RAS score (third-highest RAS score ever recorded by a long snapper) to the table.
Kickoff rule change: Players to watch
The new kickoff rule can be approached in several ways, but the most common line of thinking is that that new format will lend itself to athletes who can run and react quickly to what’s happening in front of them. That means offensive skill players and defensive backs could be at a premium when making the final few roster decisions.
The Lions have been purposeful in keeping their approach to the new rule quiet, but a few roster additions appear to have been made with this new format in mind. The player that seems the most obvious is rookie Sione Vaki, who played both running back and safety at Utah last season, and his skill set should translate to both sides of the new kickoff approach.
The Lions also signed/re-signed veteran special teams players who also appear to fit the new adaptation, including Jalen Reeves-Maybin, C.J. Moore, Khalil Dorsey, Maurice Alexander, Brock Wright, Craig Reynolds, and Zonovan Knight. Furthermore, in addition to drafting Vaki, second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw also figures to get a lot of work on special teams, and several undrafted rookies may have been targeted for what they can do on special teams, including Isaiah Williams, Jalon Calhoun, Daron Gilbert, Morice Norris, Chelen Garnes, and Loren Strickland.
The Lions’ roster is as deep as it’s ever been, and the final few spots on the roster will be at a premium, but keep an eye on who stands out on special teams, because that could be the difference between making the active roster, the practice squad, or being out of the league.