Detroit Lions: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time

Matt Prater comes in at No. 13 on our list, and for good reason, as the Detroit Lions went out and signed him as a free agent twice. The first time came after his college career at UCF, where he spent time as both the team’s kicker, and punter, making nearly 70 percent of his field goals for the Golden Knights.

While Prater did not make the team out of camp in his rookie season, he did latch on with the Miami Dolphins, who cut him in camp the following season. After being signed by the Atlanta Falcons, and actually winning the starting job, he was cut by the team after missing a couple of field goals in Week 2 of the 2007 NFL season. He was eventually re-signed by Miami.

Later that year, in December of 2007,  the Denver Broncos signed Prater off the Dolphins’ practice squad, and he really hit his stride in that thin air inside Mile High. Prater would end up making his first Pro Bowl with the Broncos, while setting the record for the longest field goal in NFL history, thanks to a 64-yard make against the Tennessee Titans back in 2013.

After a substance abuse issue ended his Broncos career, Prater was signed by the Lions. He has been the team’s kicker ever since. Making his second Pro Bowl as a member of the team in 2016, Prater has made over 86 percent of his field goal tries since putting on the Lions uniform. He has missed only six extra points in five seasons.

Prater has become one of the better kickers in the NFL since signing with the Lions. While it took a while for him to come back to the team that initially signed him out of UCF, fans have to be happy he did.