Lions Sign K Sam Ficken to Practice Squad

Lions have added a new kicker to their practice squad during the bye week.

The Detroit Lions have decided to add a new kicker to the roster. 

On Tuesday, the team announced that kicker Sam Ficken has been signed to the practice squad. 

Ficken, 29, has had previous stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Rams. 

With the New York Jets (2019-2020), he successfully made 32-of-42 field-goal attempts over a two-year span. 

In 2021, Ficken was on the injured reserve list of the Tennessee Titans, after suffering a groin injury prior to the start of the season. 

Kicker Michael Badgley joined the Lions after a stint with the Chicago Bears. The 27-year-old kicker was previously signed to the practice squad, replacing Austin Seibert and Dominik Eberle, who had spent time on the roster in 2022. 

© Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Against the Patriots, the coaching staff opted to not have Badgley attempt a field goal, opting instead to go for it on fourth down unsuccessfully. 

"I think that a lot of it is probably where I feel like the strength of our team is. Yes, I’m a little more aggressive by nature. I also -- those fourth-and-1s, I trust our offensive line and Jamaal (Williams)," Dan Campbell said. "Not that you’re always going to run it or hand it to him, it’s hard not to. It’s hard not to run behind (Penei) Sewell and (Frank) Ragnow and Jonah (Jackson) and (Taylor Decker) Deck. 

"But, even some of those, just like yesterday, we had the fourth-and-8. There’s a line that, ‘OK, we are very comfortable with a field goal, we are not comfortable with a field goal.’ And, now you have a decision," Campbell continued. "Do you just -- do you go for it, or do you take a couple of delay penalties and then kick one up in the air, punt one up in the air. And then once we got late in that game, I mean, I thought those were all very manageable, the fourth-and-2s, the fourth-and-4s, the fourth-and-5s, or you know, fourth-and-goal at the five. I felt like -- because I love what Ben (Johnson) had in. I love the plays that we had. I like the design. I knew who we were throwing them to, and it didn’t work out. So, that’s kind of where that game ended up going.”

#Lions sign K Sam Ficken to the Practice Squad

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 11, 2022

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