Detroit Lions free agency: Kicker Michael Badgley re-signs 1-year deal

According to his agent, Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley has re-signed with the team on a one-year contract. The details of that contract have yet to be released.

UPDATE: The Lions have made the signing official.

Badgley has been on and off the Lions roster for two years now. His first stint started on the practice squad in 2022, before getting promoted to the active roster and making 20-of-24 field goals for the team in the final 12 games of the season.

In 2023, the Lions brought in a few competitors to challenge for the starting job, including Riley Patterson and John Parker Romo. Badgley was released before the start of training camp but was signed back to the practice squad at the start of the season.

While Patterson started as the team’s kicker for the 2023 season, Badgley eventually won the job back in a battle that was happening in the middle of the season.

“Over the course of six weeks, Badgley had been better, and we didn’t want to rush to make that decision right away,” special teams coordinator Dave Fipp explained. “We felt like he deserved as fair of an opportunity as we could have given him, but it was clear at the end of the day that he was playing better.”

Badgley rewarded that decision by making all four of his field goals in the regular season and 13-of-15 extra points (one was blocked). In the playoffs, Badgley was perfect again, making three-of-three field goals, including a key 54-yard field goal in the second half of Detroit’s Wild Card win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Despite the Lions bringing Badgley back, don’t be surprised if Detroit adds more competition at the kicker position for 2024.