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.
4 potential landing spots for former Lions kicker Michael Badgley
4. Detroit Lions
It would be boring, and make the move to release him before training camp started look really lame and patently unneccessary if he's healthy right now. But coming back to the Lions between now and Week 1 is certainly a lingering possibility for Badgley. It would surely come after the team pursued other options, and maybe with a full realization that Riley Patterson and John Parker Romo are not it. That latter realization should already be there though.
If all else fails, for the Lions and probably Badgley, a reunion is possible until shown otherwise.
3. Tennessee Titans
The Titans cut Randy Bullock early in the offseason, in a move that was more cost-oriented than an indictment of his performance over the last couple seasons. That leaves them with Caleb Shudak, who kicked in one game for them last year when Bullock was out, and undrafted rookie Trey Wolff.
The Titans are the kind of team, rooted in Derrick Henry as the centerpiece of the offense and a strong defense, that often has to find ways to win in narrow margins. A kicker who lacks experience, or might succumb to the pressure in a critical situation, is not ideal.
Badgley would be an easy addition to the kicker competition in Titans' camp.
2. Minnesota Vikings
Adam Patrick of FanSided's The Viking Age quickly made the case for the Vikings to consider adding Badgley right after the Lions let him go. Incumbent Greg Joseph is begging to be replaced, especially after he missed a total of 13 kicks last season. But Minnesota still re-signed him.
Patrick made a solid case for Badgley to be brought it to compete with Joseph, while noting how the former Lions' kicker should have some demand for his services.
"This is a decision that has to be made quickly though. The Vikings likely can't just wait and see if Joseph struggles this summer because there's a good chance that Badgley is already going to have a new team by the start of the regular season."Adam Patrick, The Viking Age
Lions fans might not like the idea of Badgley landing with a division rival, as much as a kicker would land in that field of worry. But the Vikings make a lot of sense for Badgley, and they probably should've signed him like yesterday.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys easily, at least on theory, moved on from Brett Maher after his struggles in a playoff game. Until he was signed by the Denver Broncos on Friday, he made some sense as a candidate
for the Lions to replace Badgley
The kickers currently on the Cowboys' roster are Tristan Vizcaino and Brandon Aubrey. It's ok to not be impressed.
Vizcaino kicked in three games for two teams last year (Arizona and New England), and he has 12 NFL regular season field goal attempts on his resume. Aubrey kicked for the Birmingham Stallions in the USFL over the last two years, and his soccer background led to him being taken in the 2017 MLS draft. Aubrey has gotten a couple previous chances with NFL teams, but he has not stuck.
The Cowboys are ripe to add an experienced kicker at some point, maybe very soon as training camp gets going. They've passed on more notable available guys up to this point, like Robbie Gould, Ryan Succop and Mason Crosby, which points to being content with the situation after adding Aubrey.
But Badgley lands as someone who may make better sense for Dallas as a more experienced kicking option, now that he's available.