4 kickers Detroit Lions could sign after releasing Michael Badgley

2. Mason Crosby

Crosby has been the Green Bay Packers kicker since 20007, also known as Brett Favre's last year with the team. He never seemed likely to be going back to the Packers, and then they used a sixth-round pick on kicker Anders Carlson in April.

Matt Schneidman of The Athletic (subscription required) confirmed as much, with a note that not even a poor performance by Carlson during camp and the preseason would be enough to bring a reunion with Crosby.

Early this month, as expected, Crosby told Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin (via Forbes) he's preparing to kick in a 17th NFL season. It's probably just a matter of if, or likely when now that training camps are starting, a team makes a call.

"I’m getting myself ready for training camp and feeling good," “I’m excited for what this next opportunity holds, and we’ll see what happens"

- Mason Crosby

Crosby had plenty of ups and down over his long run with the Packers, and he'll turn 39 on Sept. 3. But he can still make the kicks he's supposed to (three of his four field goal misses last year came from 50-plus yards out), and the Lions have punter Jack Fox to handle kickoffs. Any significant entertaining of other kicker options should naturally include Crosby.