With a training camp battle looming, the Detroit Lions surprisingly released kicker Michael Badgley on Thursday. He reportedly sat out OTAS as he dealt with a groin injury, but there was no injury designation attached to the move to release him.
Badgley deserves credit to stopping the Lions' kicker carousel that lingered for a season-plus. In 12 games for them last year, he went 20-for-24 on field goals and made all 33 of his extra points. But he's not irreplaceable, and the Lions waited before adding any other kicker to the roster as competition.
By all accounts on the ground at OTAs, that competition (John Parker Romo and Riley Patterson) did not show themselves as legit competition. Which makes the move to release Badgley a little puzzling on its own, without knowing what (if any) move to add another kicker is coming.
Badgley is a fine kicker. If he's healthy, and it appears he is, he shouldn't have any trouble finding an opportunity in someone's training camp. There are some notable kickers who are available (Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby, etc.), but Badgley will be appealing on a cost level compared to those.
Here are four potential landing spots for Badgley.