Can you smell what the Lions are cooking?
It’s a kicking competition, according to news Monday night that Detroit has signed XFL kicker John Parker Romo of the San Antonio Brahmas.
Romo, 25, signed with the Lions following a tryout with the team, his agent confirmed on Twitter. He went undrafted out of Virginia Tech in 2022 and signed with the New Orleans Saints as a UDFA but was waived in August.
He appeared in 10 games with the Brahmas, going 17-for-19 overall, 7-for-7 from 40-49 yards and 2-for-3 from 50-plus with a long of 57. His 17 made field goals and 89.4% conversion rate were a league-high (min. 10 attempts).
Three different kickers tried field goals for the Lions last season, with the team ultimately settling on Michael Badgley, who was 20-for-24 in 2022 and remains on the roster.
Romo spent the first three seasons of his college career at Central Arkansas and Tulsa before transferring to Virginia Tech, where he mainly handled kickoff duties for his first two seasons. In his third and final year, Romo was 18-for-22 overall on field goals and made 7-of-9 from 40-plus.
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @nolanbianchi