For the first time in several years, there won’t be any training camp drama surrounding the specialists on the Detroit Lions. The Lions are returning all of their primary specialists from 2024, a year that saw all perform quite admirably.
Jake Bates was a revelation as Detroit’s new kicker. The big-legged UFL standout won a camp battle last summer and turned in a great first NFL season. Bates was perfect on field goals through Week 11 and finished 26-of-29 for the season. That includes a stellar 6-of-8 on field goals beyond 50 yards.
Detroit also had a new long snapper in 2024, with undrafted rookie Hogan Hatten taking the job away from veteran Scott Daly. Hatten’s snapping was almost flawless, and his linebacker-esque punt coverage skills were a nice step up from recent years.
Jack Fox led the NFL in net punting at 51.0 yards per kick, earning him a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nod. He pinned nearly 50 percent of his punts inside the opposing 20. In a golden age of punting in the NFL, Fox remains one of the most gilded at his position. He’s also one of the league’s better holders, and his quarterbacking background makes him a dangerous threat on gadget plays.
To this point, the Lions haven’t signed anyone to compete with any of the trio of returning specialists. There is potential for a camp leg to come in and spell Bates, if needed. A player who can both punt and handle kickoffs, specifically. But Detroit and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp seem very pleased with the status quo, as they should be.
Return specialists
As far as punt and kick return duties go, Kalif Raymond returns off a season where he earned second-team All-Pro honors and led the NFL in punt return yards with 413. The Lions barely utilized the kick return, attempting just 15 in the 17-game season. Tom Kennedy justified his roster spot with the most returns (6), followed by DB Khalil Dorsey, reserve RB Craig Reynolds and Raymond. All those guys are back, making it difficult for a newcomer to break into the return rotation. However, speedy seventh-round rookie wideout Dominic Lovett could factor in that mix.
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions training camp preview: A special group of specialists all return
Reporting by Jeff Risdon, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
