POLL: How many kickers will the Lions use in 2022?

There are plenty of things the Detroit Lions need to improve upon in 2022 if the team wants to get to even .500. Brad Holmes and company had another strong draft which should help strengthen the defense and put the offense in position to succeed, but there is another area that could use attention.

As folks like to say, kickers do not really matter until they do, and so many of the game’s highest-leverage situations revolve around special teams. The Lions enter camp with a couple of options, but there are truthfully a variety of ways this position could play out this year.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

How many kickers will the Lions use in 2022?

My answer: In 2020, Matt Prater attempted all 28 of the Lions’ field goal tries, which represented the end of a very solid six-year stretch from the kicking position. Prater, of course, first earned the job in 2014 after Alex Henery and Nate Freese went a combined 4-for-12.

2021 was reminiscent of that infamous 2014 disaster, though the results were much better. Still, having four different kickers — Riley Patterson, Austin Seibert, Ryan Santoso, and Aldrick Rosas — all get reps makes it hard to find much long-term consistency at the position.

Both Patterson (13-for-14 last season) and Seibert (10-for-12) should have a shot at the job, as the former replaced the latter in the middle of last season due to injury. Neither are sure things, though, and that could mean an outside face will get a shot too. Still, my guess is that both of these options, but no more, will get at least one attempt during the season.

Your turn.