Bates quickly became a phenom in the UFL, nailing multiple kicks of 60-plus yards. The Lions scooped him up at the conclusion of the spring season, and now he will compete for the kicking job against Michael Badgley.
There’s rightfully plenty of optimism surrounding his arrival, but he must still ultimately win the job. His consistency tailed off toward the end of the UFL season, but there was too much to like about his leg strength for the Lions to pass on adding him.
Training camp will offer Bates the opportunity to secure the job, which would be his first at the NFL level. If he becomes the kicker Detroit hopes he’ll be, it would be a major steal after years of instability in the kicking game [post-Matt Prater].
Dunno if Bates is the “real deal” or not, but I think the job is his to lose.
Bates has the leg strength advantage and is young enough to field goal kicking that it’s reasonable for the Lions ST coaches to believe that they can improve his accuracy. They gave him a 2-year deal.
If Bates comes even remotely close to matching Badgley in accuracy in their battle, the job is his. I’m already hearing the buzz in the stadium the first time he steps into a 66-yd attempt with 2 second left in the first half. Badgley can’t give you those moments.
I was thinking he starts running, then mid race he jumps on the back of one of the cars, hijacks it, throws the driver out the window and settles for 1st place.