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Detroit Lions’ early 53-man roster projections: Specialist

By Forrester Solmen

GREEN BAY, WI - NOVEMBER 15: Kicker Matt Prater #5 of the Detroit Lions reacts after making his field goal in the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on November 15, 2015 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WI - NOVEMBER 15: Kicker Matt Prater #5 of the Detroit Lions reacts after making his field goal in the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on November 15, 2015 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Special teams are crucial in deciding the outcome of a game. Luckily for the Detroit Lions, they have one of the best units in the NFL.

The game of football is determined by inches. Good field position is critical to score more points or prevent your opponents from scoring points themselves. If it wasn’t for their superb special teams play, the Detroit Lions wouldn’t win as many games as they could.

IN

Consider the Lions very fortunate to have the specialists they do. These three guys might be the top special teams trifecta the league has to offer. Even the backup punter is worthy of making the team.

Matt Prater

As clutch as they come from 50 yards and beyond, missing zero from those marks. A case could be made for him being Detroit’s MVP. Had it not been for him in several games, the Lions would be looking at a worse record than 9-7 in 2016.

The Pro Bowl kicker is looking to make it back for a second consecutive year. When all he missed was two PATs (one blocked) and missed as many field goals as his jersey number (five), that certainly makes one of the best kickers in the NFL.

Don Muhlbach

Three straight years on a one year prove it deal? When will the Lions ever learn.  He is routinely one of the leagues’ best long snappers year-in and year-out.

Since 2012, his snaps have been so clean and precise, that none have so much as skipped off the turf or have been off the mark. Locking him up as a Lion for the rest of his career needs to happen for the sake of showing respect for one of the best to ever put on the Honolulu blue and silver uniform.

Sam Martin (NFI)

Bum ankle or not, he is the franchise punter and will be ready come the regular season. No amount of money is going to make him comfortable enough with his play. He is always striving to be better and you can’t ask for much more out of any player.

As far as field position goes, he was the major reason the Lions coverage units were so impressive. His arsenal is fully equipped to handle both punt and kickoff duties. Rarely will you ever see touchbacks on his punts and the ball failing to reach or clear the endzone on kickoffs.

OUT

Only one other player is competing as a specialist, and he is doing fine actually. If it wasn’t for already having a top of the line punter, he would be worth consideration of being kept on the final roster.

Kasey Redfern

Injury fill-in or not, he is playing like a quality punter. Ideally, he is the perfect fallback option should the Lions’ star punter re-injury himself.

Next: Detroit Lions: What is the lynchpin to their 2017 season?

Unfortunately, Detroit may have no choice but to trade him, because if they release him, I’m hard-pressed to believe he would clear waivers and make it to the practice squad. It would be better to get something in return than to run the risk of trying to retain him and get nothing back at all. If he continues to play well, it’s only going to help the Lions, regardless of how things pan out.

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