The Lions aren’t accustomed to needing to search for a kicker. From 1980 to 1991 they had Eddie Murray, and from 1992 to 2012 they had Jason Hanson, giving them more than three decades of stability at the position.
But David Akers won’t be back after one shaky season in 2013, and that means the Lions are on the hunt for a new kicker. They have two on the roster right now, John Potter and Giorgio Tavecchio, but special teams coordinator John Bonamego says the search for a kicker is far from over.
“The No. 1 thing we need to do is find a kicker,” Bonamego said. “From a scouting standpoint, it’s our top priority in my department. We have two guys on the roster right now that both have some experience. We’ll evaluate those guys in this upcoming period and we’ll compare them to the guys that are coming up in the draft, the draft-eligible guys, and we’ll find one.”
Twice last season Detroit lost close games in which Akers missed key field goals. It’s vital for the Lions to find someone better this year. Preferably someone with staying power, so the Lions can go back to having stability at kicker.