After the Detroit Lions fell to the Buffalo Bills and former head coach Jim Schwartz on Sunday, the team decided it was time they found a new kicker. Alex Henery missed three field goals and the Lions lost by three points to the Bills.
Between Henery and Nate Freese, the Detroit kickers are a combined 4-for-12 on field goals this season and their woes finally cost them a game. The team has cut Henery and Freese and held a tryout in Allen Park, Michigan for Matt Prater, Jay Feely and Connor Barth. These three kickers were free agents after being released by their respective teams.
Prater ended up winning the job and the Lions signed him to a one-year contract on Tuesday. The former Denver Broncos kicker was released by the team last week likely for a number of reasons; Prater was suspended for the first four games of the year for violating the league's substance abuse policy and his salary of $3.25 million for next year will save them some money. Denver also had a solid kicker in Brandon McManus, who was acquired in a trade with the Giants shortly after Prater was hit with his suspension.
McManus is 5-for-6 on the year with his only miss coming from over 50 yards. Prater hit 25-of-26 field goals in 2013 (led the NFL), but John Elway likely saw an opportunity to save some money and avoid negative media attention. In his six-year career with Denver, Prater was 141-for-170 (83%) and hit 21 field goals 50 yards or more. He also set the NFL record last year with a 64-yard field goal against the Tennessee Titans. He'll now joining a Detroit Lions team who has shown scoring struggles this season.
"We've got to find a performer," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said, via this ESPN article. "That's basically what we have to get done. In that area you've got to get a guy who is consistent under pressure and will be able to get us some points on the board."
Prater will likely solve Detroit's inability to hit field goals from 40-to-49 yards (0-for-6 in 2014). The Lions will face the Vikings at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday where Prater is expected to make his debut.
