David Akers visits Lions, leaves without deal

The door is still open for Jason Hanson to return to the Detroit Lions. This is because free-agent kicker David Akers visited the Lions on Monday and didn't leave with a deal, according to Dave Birkett.

When it first came out last week that Akers was visiting the Lions, the thinking was that this was a negotiating ploy more than anything. The Lions want Hanson back, but not at the price he is currently seeking. As a result, the Lions scheduled a visit with Akers, perhaps in part to make Hanson realize that they weren't joking when they indicated that they are willing to move on with a new kicker.

The other aspect of this is that the Lions very well may have legitimate interest in Akers. If they are unable to work something out with Hanson, the Lions will have to find a new kicker. Akers has been a pretty solid kicker over the course of his career, although not so much last year. He battled through injuries and went a dismal 29-of-42 on field goals in 2012.

I still am of the opinion that the Lions should just draft a kicker if they can't get a deal done with Hanson. Of course, I am also still of the opinion that it would be pretty stupid for Hanson and the Lions to throw away two decades worth of goodwill over a disagreement on his value, so hopefully they will eventually just re-sign him.