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Commanders, Lions, Packers, Ravens Interested In K Jake Bates

June 11th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

As expected, Jake Bates‘ UFL season has generated NFL interest. A number of teams are in on the recent spring/summer league specialist, whose previous NFL path did not include any game action.

The Michigan Panthers kicker has received interest from the Commanders, Lions, Packers and Ravens, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. All four teams have requested meetings with Bates, per Wilson, and ESPN.com’s John Keim notes the Commanders will be the first team to host the young specialist. That meeting is set for today.

Washington’s kicker need formed recently, after the team released offseason pickup Brandon McManus after a lawsuit alleging sexual assault emerged. The Commanders have already signed kicker Ramiz Ahmed, but the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala notes the team is looking to hold a competition between the recent signee and another option. The team also auditioned Andre Szmyt on Tuesday, per Jhabvala. Szmyt kicked for the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks this season.

With the UFL’s regular season ending, NFL teams are free to hold workouts. UFLers can be added next week, after the league’s weekend championship game. Considering the success the Cowboys have enjoyed with USFL players in recent years — including All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey, a summer 2023 addition — several of the new UFL’s top players will land opportunities to attend NFL training camps. Bates will almost definitely be one.

Bates, whom the Texans cut after barely a week during training camp last year, caught attention for making multiple 60-plus-yard field goals early this season. This included a 64-yarder. The long-range makes placed the Michigan kicker back on the NFL radar, and his second chance figures to feature a more thorough look. That said, Bates proved shakier down the stretch of the UFL season. He missed field goals five field goals over the Panthers’ final four games; that followed a two-miss performance in an April Michigan-Memphis matchup. Overall, Bates went 21-for-28 on field goals this season.

The Lions were connected to the in-state UFL team’s kicker early during the season, and the team used multiple kickers (Riley Patterson, Michael Badgley) in 2023. Detroit re-signed Badgley this offseason and added UDFA James Turner. But the team has been looking into adding another piece here, and Bates’ leg strength certainly caught attention.

Anders Carlson remains the frontrunner to kick for the Packers, but special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia mentioned a potential spring league addition (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) before training camp. Green Bay’s roster already houses two other kickers — Greg Joseph, Jack Podlesny — so a Bates addition would certainly be interesting from a roster-allocation standpoint ahead of training camp. Carlson went 27-for-33 last year but missed four extra points and then missed a kick in the Packers’ narrow divisional-round loss to the 49ers.

It would obviously surprise if Bates ended up in Baltimore, given that the Ravens employ arguably the best to ever do it. Justin Tucker is going into his 13th NFL season. Bates, 24, stands to land somewhere soon. His Houston work last summer does not make it a lock he will be one of the 32 kickers in Week 1, but the UFL work will give him a shot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/10/24

June 10th, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

  • Waived: LB Steele Chambers

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

  • Waived/injured: NT Buddha Jones

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brightwell was waived/injured by the Giants in May but ultimately reverted to IR. The former sixth-round pick struggled to carve out a role behind Saquon Barkley in New York. Brightwell’s tenure with the Giants will officially end with the RB having collected 256 yards from scrimmage.

Thompkins suffered a hamstring injury in late May that ultimately led to him getting waived/injured. As ESPN’s Jenna Laine notes, it’s about a two-week recovery timeline for the Grade 1 strain, meaning the wideout should be on the brink of full health.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times passed along a troubling wrinkle to the situation last week, noting that Thompkins’ release quickly followed public accusations of spousal abuse from his estranged wife. The woman, Maria Castilhos, posted pictures of injuries that she claims were sustained in February of 2023.

“First and foremost, Deven categorically denies the allegations levied against him by his estranged wife, Maria Castilhos,” attorney Brett Gallaway said in the statement. “Unfortunately, Deven and Maria have been going through a contentious divorce proceeding and child custody battle, and it appears that she thought it would help her case to release these false and defamatory videos.

“… We expect he will be fully exonerated after a review of the facts, background, and clear ulterior motive behind the release of these videos and fabricated assault allegations.”

Thompkins served as Tampa Bay’s primary returner in 2023, finishing with 16 kickoff returns (for 327 yards) and 25 punts (for 234 yards). The former UDFA had a limited role on offense, hauling in 17 catches for 83 yards and one touchdown. As Stroud notes, coach Todd Bowles said the “door is open” to Thompkins returning to the Buccaneers once he’s healthy, although the team has already replaced him on the roster with Cody Thompson.

Lions To Sign LB Ben Niemann

June 10th, 2024 at 12:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ben Niemann has found a new team for at least the near future. The veteran linebacker has agreed to a deal with the Lions, Justin Rogers of the Detroit News reports.

Niemann enjoyed a four-year run with the Chiefs to begin his career, logging 12 starts during that time. A Super Bowl winner in 2019, he played a rotational role on defense while proving to be a strong special teams presence. His third phase skillset has allowed him to remain in the league with stops in Arizona and Denver over the past two years.

The former UDFA had a career year with the Cardinals in 2022. Niemann started nine games that season, collecting a personal best 70 tackles along the way. He signed with the Titans last April but ultimately wound up on the wrong end of roster cutdowns at the end of training camp. That resulted in a Broncos stint featuring time on the practice squad and active roster.

Niemann made seven appearances in Denver last season, but he did not see any defensive playing time. His special teams snap share (69%) was a career high, though, and the Lions will no doubt envision a similar usage setup for him this year. The 29-year-old will be in place to compete for a roster spot over the course of training camp and the preseason this summer.

Detroit’s linebacking corps is largely intact compared to 2023, something which should limit Niemann’s path to a notable defensive role. Anthony Pittman departed in free agency, however, creating a vacancy in the special teams department for the Lions. Niemann will aim to fill that void on his latest new team.

Lions HC Dan Campbell Discusses QB Hendon Hooker

June 9th, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Rory Parks

The expectation is that quarterback Hendon Hooker, whom the Lions selected in the third round of the 2023 draft, will serve as Jared Goff‘s primary backup in 2024. However, it does not sound as if he is where he needs to be just yet.

Hooker was in the midst of a terrific final season at Tennessee when he suffered an ACL tear that cut his season short and undermined his draft stock. Detroit added the big-armed passer anyway, viewing him as a talent worth developing behind Goff. The club subsequently signed Teddy Bridgewater to operate as Goff’s QB2, but with Bridgewater having retired, the backup quarterback role is there for the taking.

Hooker’s competition for the gig is Nate Sudfeld, who sustained an ACL tear of his own last August. Obviously, Hooker’s ceiling is much higher than Sudfeld’s, but Lions HC Dan Campbell will not simply hand the job to Hooker.

As ESPN’s Eric Woodyard writes, Hooker showed flashes of promise during last week’s minicamp, though he has also struggled at times with his accuracy. Per Campbell, Hooker will need to “take a step up” to secure the QB2 post.

“We need to feel like by the end of [training] camp this guy can run this offense,” Campbell said. “He’s somebody that we know we can play the game a certain way. We know he’s going to be able to process the information. He’s going to get us in the right play and he’s going to keep the ship afloat. That’s it.”

Woodyard says the Lions are committed to developing Hooker, despite Goff having proven that he is capable of leading the team on a Super Bowl run and landing a massive extension last month. To that end, Detroit put Hooker through a “rigorous routine” during their offseason work, and the expectation is that he will have a firm grasp on the offense when the club reconvenes for training camp.

“We don’t need him to come in and win a game,” Campbell added. “You just want to feel like, ‘all right.’ So obviously, he’s going to need to take another step up.”

Hooker, who threw for a whopping 58 touchdowns against just five interceptions in an admittedly QB-friendly offense during his 24-game run at Tennessee after a less productive stint at Virginia Tech, said, “I’m just learning these lessons as I go. I’m going to fail some, I’m going to pass some. But it’s all about just learning and banking these reps. … Just getting back into the rhythm of moving off my spot and completing balls and just playing free, that’s what I’m trying to get to. Just playing free like I was at Tennessee.”

Lions Docked OTA Session

June 8th, 2024 at 9:42am CST by Sam Robinson

NFL offseasons occasionally feature teams running into CBA-driven trouble due to overly physical workouts. This year, the Lions have run afoul of the league’s policy on OTA contact.

The defending NFC North champions revealed the NFL and NFLPA informed them of a late-May OTA violation. The team conducted at least one workout deemed too physical for the offseason setting. Per usual in this sort of violation, the NFL docked the Lions a future OTA day. Detroit’s Monday session will be canceled, the team announced.

Far from the first team to encounter an issue stemming from its offseason program, the Lions still have multiple OTA sessions scheduled. The team conducted its minicamp, usually the final part of clubs’ offseason itineraries, this week but had three more OTAs set for June 10-12. That number will be trimmed to two before the Lions disperse before training camp in late July.

OTA workouts do not feature pads, as the past two CBAs have significantly restricted the number of padded practices teams can conduct either in-season or ahead of it. Players traded part of their revenue split for improved working conditions. Since 2011, that has meant a limited offseason program and a low cap on the number of padded workouts permissible during a season. As a result, shoulder pads do not come on until several days into training camp.

This news comes as the NFLPA plans to unveil a polarizing plan to restructure the offseason program. The union’s rumored offering will eliminate OTAs from the calendar, extending the break between the season and the following training camp. Although the proposed setup would include a lengthy ramp-up period ahead of training camp, the union’s plan cutting into the calendar’s summer break has generated pushback among NFL staffers — and some players — who use the June-July off period to spend time with family.

11 Teams Gain Cap Space From Post-June 1 Cuts

June 2nd, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Early June no longer means a mid-offseason update to the free agent market, as teams can designate players as post-June 1 cuts months in advance of that date. But June 2 does bring an annually important date in terms of finances. This year, 11 teams will see their cap-space figures expand thanks to post-June 1 release designations. One other club — the Broncos — used a post-June 1 designation, but they will not save any money from the historic Russell Wilson release.

Teams are permitted to designate two players as post-June 1 cuts ahead of that date. This designation spreads a player’s dead money hit over two years as opposed to a 2024-only blow. Courtesy of Spotrac, here are the savings this year’s teams to make post-June 1 designations will receive:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Broncos’ overall Wilson cap hit, even with the quarterback’s $1.21MM Steelers salary factoring into the equation, will more than double any other single-player dead money number in NFL history. The now-Sean Payton-led Broncos, after a failed effort to move Wilson’s guarantee vesting date beyond 2024, will take their medicine for bailing 18 months after authorizing a five-year, $245MM extension. Denver will absorb the lion’s share of the dead money this year, taking on $53MM. The team will not receive the cap credit from Wilson’s Steelers deal until 2025, per Spotrac.

Annually making exhaustive efforts to move under the cap, the Saints will be hit with more than $30MM in total dead cap from the Thomas and Winston contracts. Redesigning both in 2023, the Saints will take on $8.9MM in 2024 dead money on Thomas and $3.4MM on the Winston pact. Mickey Loomis‘ operation is once again at the bottom of the NFL in future cap space, being projected to come in more than $84MM over the 2025 cap.

Baltimore structured Beckham’s one-year, $15MM contract to void, and the team will take on more than $10MM in total dead money on it. The bulk of that will come in 2025; the post-June 1 cut will produce $2.8MM in 2024 dead cap this year.

Lions Not Planning WR Addition; Team Eyeing Increased Role For RB Jahmyr Gibbs

June 2nd, 2024 at 3:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions’ offense will have three pillars (quarterback Jared Goff, right tackle Penei Sewell and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown) in place for years to come given the respective extensions. The latter is the team’s clear-cut leading wideout, but the depth behind him has changed this offseason.

Detroit saw Josh Reynolds depart in free agency when he joined the Broncos. That decision came in spite of the Lions’ efforts to retain him, and it leaves the team without a key role player from last season. St. Brown and 2022 first-rounder Jameson Williams will be counted on in the passing game, as will tight end Sam LaPorta (who enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign last year). Outside additions to augment that trio should not be expected.

Rather, the Lions are positioned to rely on internal options with respect to replaying Reynolds’ production. The veteran posted 608 yards and five touchdowns in 2023, drawing 64 targets (the second-highest figure of his career) along the way. The team could turn to the likes of Kalif Raymond, Donovan Peoples-Jones or Tre’Quan Smith to take on a complementary role in lieu of a free agent signing or trade acquisition.

“It might be someone that didn’t have as much production last year, say an Antoine Green or a Peoples-Jones or some of the guys that we had on the scout team,” offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said on the subject (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “Or it could be some of the other guys… So, that’s what we’re trying to find out here this springtime and in training camp is not just who the guys are that we’ll hang our hats on, but also how we distribute those carries and those targets as the season goes.”

Johnson helped the Lions rank third in total offense and fifth in scoring last season. Expectations will be high for the unit to repeat that success, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs figures to have a prominent role in that regard. The first of Detroit’s two Day 1 selections in 2023 had a strong rookie campaign both on the ground and in the air, racking up 1,261 scrimmage yards and 11 total touchdowns.

As Birkett notes in a separate piece, the Lions are aiming for Gibbs to take on an expanded role in the pass-catching department in 2024. The Alabama product made 52 catches last season, but his 316 yards ranked only sixth on the team. Developing further as a route-runner could allow him to be used in spots other than the backfield, something which would in turn provide Detroit with a improved secondary option in the passing game.

Lions Sign Second-Round CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

May 31st, 2024 at 3:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is on the books for the first time in his NFL career. The Lions announced on Friday that he has inked his rookie contract.

The hosts of the 2024 NFL draft showed a willingness to double-dip at the cornerback spot with their first two selections. After adding Terrion Arnold on Day 1, the Lions selected Rakestraw at the No. 61 spot. Both players will have a path to signficant playing time in 2024 and beyond if they live up to their potential.

Rakestraw spent four seasons at Missouri, establishing himself as an integral member of the team’s defense over the past two years in particular. Returning from an ACL tear in 2022, he racked up 12 pass deflections and 4.5 tackles for loss. The following season, Rakestraw was limited to nine contests due to core muscle surgery. That injury history no doubt hurt his draft stock, but he was still considered one of the top members of this year’s CB class.

Size was mentioned as a potential concern for the 5-11, 183-pounder in addition to a relative lack of ball production in college. Rakestraw recorded only one interception in 35 games, though he notched 107 total stops (including eight tackles for loss) and 24 pass breakups over that time. He also drew praise for his run defense and overall physicality, something which could help him carve out a role early in with Detroit.

Struggles in the secondary (and in particular at the cornerback spot) were a theme for the Lions last season. That drove the team to acquire Carlton Davis via trade and add Cameron Sutton during free agency. The latter’s arrest for domestic violence resulted in his release, however, and as a result it came as no surprise Detroit focused on further secondary additions during the draft. Arnold was the second corner selected, and he will be positioned to compete for a starting role this offseason. Rakestraw likewise could establish himself as a regular on defense in relatively short order.

With the Rakestraw deal now official, Arnold is the only member of the Lions’ draft class yet to sign his rookie contract. The latter’s pact will be four years in length like all the others, but it will also include a fifth-year option covering the 2028 campaign.

Ben Johnson Addresses Decision To Stay With Lions

May 30th, 2024 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

For a second straight offseason, Ben Johnson exited the coaching carousel to keep his offensive coordinator post in Detroit. After being viewed as the leader for the Panthers’ HC job in 2023, Johnson had been in position as the frontrunner to replace Ron Rivera with the Commanders.

Shortly after the NFC championship game, Commanders brass received word — while en route to Detroit to interview Johnson and Lions DC Aaron Glenn — the two-year Detroit play-caller was once again bowing out of a coaching pursuit. Johnson is not believed to have received a raise this time around; his Lions deal still runs through 2025. But the selective candidate will undoubtedly gauge the HC openings come 2025.

“I’m not gonna do it just to do it,” Johnson said (via ESPN.com’s Eric Woodyard) of taking a coaching job. “I love what I’m doing right now. Love it. I love where I’m at. My family loves where we’re at. Love the people that we’re doing it with, so I’m not willing to go down the other path yet, unless I feel really good about how it’s gonna unfold.”

Johnson said (via The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy) he is eyeing a job that will allow for success en route to a second contract. Some candidates do not have the luxury of being as selective as Johnson has been, but the Matt Patricia Lions hire has been trending upward — just as the Lions have — in recent years.

As the Lions have climbed into a Super Bowl-contending position, moving closer to the NFL’s biggest stage than they had at any point in franchise history, Johnson has represented a central reason for the team’s ascent. Detroit’s offense has ranked in the top five in points and yardage in each of Johnson’s first two seasons at the controls, and Jared Goff‘s career has turned around to the point he is again back near the top of the QB salary hierarchy.

The Goff-Johnson partnership led to the Lions quarterback signing a four-year, $212MM extension. For at least one more season, Goff will work alongside the coveted assistant. Johnson, 38, will have a chance to impress once again. The young coordinator stepping off the route toward Washington surprised many, and the Commanders — who ended up submitting an offer to Mike Macdonald, ahead of his signing a six-year Seahawks contract — eventually hired Dan Quinn as a second-chance candidate.

It took Josh McDaniels a bit of time to re-emerge as an attractive HC candidate after he backed out of a Colts agreement. Johnson did not go that far down the road with the Commanders and Panthers, but his selective path could conceivably turn teams off. Though, another strong season from the Detroit offense will probably put the next batch of HC-needy teams in pursuit. Offensive play-callers remain the most popular hires in this NFL period.

“The longer you’re in the coordinator chair, it does nothing but help you and prepare you more for the next step if it ever comes down the pipe,” Johnson said. “Personally, I don’t feel like I’m hurting my opportunities or my abilities to be a head coach in the future, and I love what I’m doing right now.”

Lions Looking Into Options At Kicker

May 25th, 2024 at 6:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Since the departure of Matt Prater following the 2020 NFL season, the Lions have struggled to find constancy at the placekicking position. Twice, Michael Badgley has come to their rescue with admirable results, and though he’s set to return in 2024, that hasn’t stopped Detroit from examining all its options.

Badgley first helped out the Lions in 2022, signing with the team’s practice squad in early-October and getting promoted to the active roster three weeks later. After the team opted to move on from Austin Seibert, Badgley took over the job and didn’t relinquish it. For the rest of the year, Badgley made 20 of his 24 field goal attempts and went a perfect 33-for-33 on extra point attempts. The team re-signed Badgley for the 2023 season but cut him in July.

Instead, the team opted for Riley Patterson last season. In 13 games, Patterson only missed two of 17 field goal attempts, but when the Memphis-product missed two extra point attempts within a three-game stretch, the Lions waived him in favor of Badgley, who had remained on their practice squad all year.

Once again, Badgely gave the Lions what they were looking for. Though, he too missed two extra point attempts in his four regular season games, Badgley was a perfect four-for-four on field goals. During the team’s run to the NFC Championship Game, Badgley was a perfect three-for-three on field goals and 11-for-11 on extra points. Despite this consistency, Badgley was rarely tested in big moments. Throughout the playoffs, head coach Dan Campbell repeatedly opted to go for it in long field goal scenarios.

The only other option currently on the roster is James Turner, an undrafted rookie from Michigan. A grad transfer for the Wolverines after four years at Louisville, Turner showed inconsistent production at the collegiate level. Turner missed eight field goals and two extra points in his sophomore season with the Cardinals. He never made more than 20 field goals in a season and only had a career-long of 50 yards, so he may not be the answer to Campbell’s hesitation from long distance.

The veteran free agent market is relatively bare. With many kickers already signed or re-signed, only Randy Bullock serves as an experienced option. The 34-year-old only appeared in six games for the Giants last year, though.

Another intriguing option in free agency, though, is Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates in the UFL. Bates signed with the Texans last year after going undrafted but was waived just prior to the preseason. This wasn’t extremely surprising as Bates didn’t kick any field goals in college. During time at Texas State and Arkansas, Bates was utilized singularly on kickoffs, utilizing leg strength gained in two seasons of college soccer at Central Arkansas. Finding his place in the UFL, though, Bates has taken the football world by storm.

Coming into a game today, Bates’ stats consisted of 15 made field goals out of 18 attempts. While the accuracy is admirable, what’s really impressive is his leg strength. His only three misses have come from over 50 yards, yet he is still six-for-nine from long distance. Of those six makes from 50+, three of those were from 60 yards or further. The young kicker doesn’t shy away from the spotlight either. Two of his makes have been game-winners, including a career-long 64-yarder to open the season. His 64-yard make is second to only Justin Tucker‘s 66-yarder in Detroit’s stadium.

That being said, Bates is still under contract with the Panthers and cannot communicate with NFL teams at the moment nor can his agent. Currently, the Panthers themselves are the only ones who can communicate with any interested parties, given their ownership of his contract.

Still, Bates to Detroit makes a lot of sense. The team has an expressed desire to bring in some competition at kicker and reached out to the Panthers already, and Bates has seen all of this kicking success come in the city of Detroit at Ford Field. Bates could be the long-distance answer that convinces Campbell not to go for it next year.

The Lions may have to wait for the close of the UFL season to acquire Bates but consider them a top candidate to land his services in 2024. If that plays out, Badgely could once again be relegated to a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency role, if he doesn’t find a new home altogether.

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