ESPN REPORT: Former starting Detroit Lions kicker Man Announced The Head Coach….

A former starting kicker for the Detroit Lions has joined the Washington Commanders.

Published at 8:18 a.m. on August 01, 2024.

Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions

On Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, at Ford Field in Detroit, place kicker Riley Patterson (36), of the Detroit Lions, successfully converts an extra point against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter. Joel Bissell | mlive.co/jbissell

By Benjamin Raven, mlive.com/braven

ALLEN PARK — The Washington Commanders have grabbed Riley Patterson, one of the two former Detroit Lions kickers searching for a new team this week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars waived Patterson earlier this week. The Green Bay Packers also dismissed kicker James Turner, who was with the Lions throughout the offseason program. There

Given that the Lions only have one kicker (Jake Bates) following Michael Badgley’s season-ending hamstring injury, there was reasonable disbelief at both of these situations.

With so many former Lions executives in the front office, it should come as no surprise that the Commanders were the team to grab Patterson. In his two spells with the Lions over the course of three years, Patterson was the team’s starting kicker for stretches of the 2021 and 2023 seasons.

Tuesday saw Turner become a fully free agent after going unclaimed on waivers. Turner formerly played kicker for Michigan. He showed promise during the camp in Allen Park in the spring, demonstrating skill with long-ball kicks.

But Bates is starting to establish himself as a worthy choice. The Lions have also been genuine in their position that they don’t feel pressured to act just yet. With the young kicker who rose to prominence in the UFL with the Michigan Panthers, there have been some predictable hiccups. However, Bates has demonstrated the ability to spread out the field on some of those makes from more than 55 yards.