Indianapolis — The Detroit Lions are in the market for a kicker.
Unlike most positions on the football field, teams aren’t always champing at the bit to find specialists through the draft. Between punters and kickers, only a few are drafted each year. Though it may not be the most exciting item to watch, whether Detroit spends one of its nine draft picks on a kicker is indeed a notable question entering March.
In the last 10 years, only 17 kickers have been drafted total. Only two have gone in the fourth round or earlier, the most recent instance coming in 2022, when the Cleveland Browns selected Cade York with pick No. 124.
According to Lions special-teams coordinator Dave Fipp, even if you do try to grab one with some draft capital, it’s not always guaranteed to work out.
For example, the highest-drafted kicker since 2005, Robert Aguayo (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, pick No. 59) in 2016, had a disastrous rookie season and hasn’t kicked a field goal since. Coming out of college, he was the most accurate kicker in ACC history and the third-most accurate kicker in NCAA history.
“I do think that the kicker positions, much like a lot of them, are hit-and-miss,” Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said.
“You don’t know exactly which one is gonna be the guy who ends up playing great in this league and having a career in this league. And it’s not always the guy you thought was the best going into the draft or coming out of the draft that year.”
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Though the Lions could benefit from getting a young kicker in, the free-agent class gives them plenty of options. Among the eligible options are Mason Crosby, Robbie Gould, Matt Prater, Matt Gay, Greg Joseph, Randy Bullock and Brett Maher.
“There is some security from my standpoint of like, ‘Hey, this guy’s done it. He’s done it at a high level and he’s done it consistently for some period of time at a high level,'” Fipp said. “It gives you some comfort in knowing that’s probably not gonna change a whole lot from that, good or bad.”
On the other hand, Fipp said he has “never shied away from a young player, as long as you believe in them and help them.”
This year’s kicking class features some local talent, including Michigan kicker Jake Moody and Maryland’s Chad Ryland, who transferred from Eastern Michigan before last season. Other big names include Jack Podlesny (Georgia), Christopher Dunn (N.C. State), B.T. Potter (Clemson).
“You (get) a young player who’s super talented, there’s probably gonna be some ups and downs for that guy. And some of them go up and some of them, you think, are gonna be great … and so there’s some of that, where you just don’t know,” Fipp said.
“Getting a veteran guy, you kind of pass some of that, but then when you get a younger guy, you also are getting a player who’s young and fresh and healthy, hopefully. And he’s got a great future out in front of him and you got him for four or five years before you even have to re-sign him, so you know you got him for a while there.
“There’s obviously benefits to all of the above.”
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @nolanbianchi