Getty Rodrigo Blankenship celebrates a kick for Indianapolis in 2020.
The Detroit Lions, plain and simple, have a major kicking conundrum. In addition to a leaky defense that is historically bad, it could be the second biggest issue holding them back in 2022.
Entering into the season, the Lions had Austin Seibert as their main kicker. Seibert has gone 3-5 to start the year on kicks, and had a pair of misses that doomed Detroit in a close Week 3 loss in Minnesota.
Seibert sat out Week 4 with a groin injury giving way to Dominik Eberle. While Eberle made a 49 yard field goal, he was erratic on extra points, going 2-4 on the day. That could lead folks to believe he is not the long-term answer, either.
If the Lions elect to make a change, there are several players on the market who could provide them a boost in a change of scenery. While none come without their own baggage, there is some definite talent for the team to try out.
Who are these players? Here’s a look at the names the Lions should be getting a close look at in the days ahead to try and stabilize the kicking position.
Rodrigo Blankenship
Probably the biggest name on the market, Rodrigo Blankenship is a promising player at 25 given the start he had to his career in Indianapolis.
After coming out of Georgia in 2020 undrafted and winning the 2019 Lou Groza Award, Blankenship had a good rookie season, connecting on 32 of 37 kicks with a long of 53 yards. He followed that up with an 11-14 season in 2021 which was cut short with a hip injury. This season, he was cut after a messy debut where he booted two balls out of bounds and missed a 42 yard game winning field goal. Still, he’s been solid before.
Even though Blankenship struggled with injury last year and inconsistency this year, he has proven he could be a kicker in the league with his work, and would arguably be worth a look for Detroit given this fact.
Jake Verity
In the past, many assumed that Jake Verity was simply blocked in Baltimore by Justin Tucker. While the Ravens couldn’t keep him in 2021, Verity went elsewhere and was given a look in Indianapolis and later Jacksonville, where he was waived in September.
A former kicker at ECU, Verity could offer the Lions a sneaky strong leg, something that folks might be craving following some of the misses the team has endured so far this season.
Verity may be worth a tryout to gage where he’s at. With the Lions kicking in a dome and Verity claiming that he may be able to hit from 60 yards or further indoors, he could be an intriguing player to kick the tires on.
Elliott Fry
Thus far in his NFL career, Elliott Fry hasn’t had a ton of attempts, but when he has, he’s made the most of them.
The former South Carolina kicker has gone 5-6 early in his career when kicking with multiple teams. Most of his kicks were attempted in Kansas City, where he went 3-4 last season in emergency duty. Fry has also gone 5-7 on extra points, giving him a good mix of youth yet experience for the Lions to consider.
Fry has a leg on him, something he showed in college with a long 55 yard kick to win a game in 2016
Perhaps the Lions will give him a look at locking down their job with a good week of kicking.
Jose Borregales
Perhaps one of the most intriguing options on the market, Jose Borregales was blocked by Ryan Succop in Tampa Bay, but has a strong leg of his own to rely on, and didn’t do much to lose the job with the Buccaneers.
Borregles was a bit erratic from distance in the preseason with Tampa Bay, but won the Lou Groza Award in 2020 for his work with the Miami Hurricanes. He also showed off a bit in the preseason with his big leg:
Borregales has a strong leg and has the pedigree from college to be solid in the pros if he is given a chance. The Lions could offer him a chance to earn a job with solid work.