Lions Host Four Kickers for Workout

Lions searching for competition for Jake Bates.

Former Houston Texans kicker Matthew Ammendola. / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions will be without Michael Badgley for the duration of the 2024 season.

Badgley suffered a torn hamstring ahead of Thursday's practice and is set to undergo surgery. Originally, the Lions were expecting Badgley to compete with Jake Bates for the kicking job. Now, the organization is searching for new competition for the newly signed UFL sensation.

Detroit hosted four potential options for a workout, including Matt Ammendola, Lucas Havrisik, Matthew McCrane and Andre Szmyt. Ammendola, Havrisik and McCrane all have NFL experience, while Szmyt spent the spring kicking in the UFL.

Last season, Ammendola kicked for the Houston Texans while Havrisik kicked for the Los Angeles Rams. McCrane hasn't kicked in the NFL since 2018.

The competition is a theme throughout the Lions' organization, as general manager Brad Holmes has emphasized a desire to have a culter of players earning their respective positions. That's no different at the kicker position, where the Lions brought in Bates to compete with Badgley who has kicked for the team over the last two seasons.

Badgley initially lost the kicker competition last year, but was brought back on the practice squad and kicked in the final four games after defeating Riley Patterson.

Now, the Lions will be forced to bring in competition that will put pressure on Bates, who comes with high acclaim after a strong season with the UFL's Michigan Panthers.

“I think we’ve got to put him in as many pressure situations as we can in camp. He has kicked in games, I know it’s not the same thing but a little bit of it, the only way you’re gonna know is you’ve got to put him out there and you’ve got to see how he does and that’ll come," Campbell said. "Right now, he looks pretty good. And it’s early, but he has a big leg, but I like his personality, his aura. He’s got some confidence about him, he seems pretty consistent about the way he goes about his business, kind of the same guy every day which I appreciate. So we’ll just see. We’ll keep working him through practice and see where this goes.”