It’s time to close out our 2026 Detroit Lions offseason preview, as broken down by position. We’ve come to special teams, where there isn’t likely to be much drama. Although there are a few questions when it comes to the kicker position
Previously:
Lions 2025 recap: Special teams
- K Jake Bates stats (17 games)
- 27-of-34 on FGs — 79.4% — 31st out of 39 kickers
- 54-of-56 on extra points — 96.4% — 19th out of 33 kickers
- 17 kickoff touchbacks
- P Jack Fox stats (17 games)
- 46.6 yards per punt (24th out of 35)
- 42.8 net yards per punt (12th out of 35)
- 28 punts inside 20 (seventh)
- 2 touchbacks (t-fourth fewest)
- LS Hogan Hatten stats (17 games)
- 2 tackles
It was a bit of a step back for Jake Bates in his second season with the Lions. His kicking accuracy dropped from 89.7% in 2024 to just 79.4%, well below the league average (85.6%). However, it’s worth noting that five of his seven misses were from 50 yards or longer, and he actually improved his extra point accuracy. Additionally, Bates remained extremely reliable in clutch moments. For example, in Detroit’s overtime victory over the Giants, Bates drilled a 59-yard field goal with 28 seconds left to force overtime. He remains perfect in clutch situations:
(Note: He is now 6-of-6 after kicking a game-winning 42-yard field goal against the Bears in Week 18)
Jack Fox also had a strong season. The numbers don’t fully capture it, because the Lions were often punting from midfield. But Fox was the only player with at least 50 punt with two or fewer touchbacks. His percentage of punts downed inside the 20 (50%) was tied for third-best in the league.
It’s a little harder to evaluate Hogan Hatten’s year as long snapper, but there were no memorable incidents where the snap appeared to negatively impact a field goal, extra point, or punt.
2026 for outlook
- P Jack Fox (signed through 2026)
- LS Hogan Hatten (2026)
Pending free agents:
- K Jake Bates (exclusive rights free agent)
Fox and Hatten are up for extensions, and both are very much worth the extra investments. In 2022, Fox signed a four-year extension worth a league-high $3.775 million per year. Now the league high is at $4.05 million a year (Michael Dickson). Fox is 30 years old, but Detroit should still consider locking him up for another few years.
Hatten is still on his rookie deal, set to make just over $1 million this year. No long snapper is averaging more than $1.65 million per season, so he can easily be locked up long-term, if the Lions want.
The biggest question here is Jake Bates. As an exclusive rights free agent, the Lions can offer Bates a league-minimum, one-year deal, and the Lions kicker would have two options: sign the tender or sit out a year. That would make for an easy, cheap decision for Detroit.
However, the Lions had four ERFAs entering this offseason, and Detroit already managed to re-sign the other three. Does that mean Bates is unwilling to sign his tender? Does it mean the Lions are, rather, in discussions to sign him to an extension? Or has Bates simply not signed a tender he fully intends on signing, because there is simply no rush?
The situation is unclear right now, but if the Lions are interested in signing Bates to a longer-term deal, the current market high is $6.4 million a year (Harrison Butker) with everyone else in the top 10 making at least $5 million per year.
The Lions could also consider bringing in competition this year after a down season from Bates, but based on everything special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said about Bates in 2025, the team remains confident in their own kicker.
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