According to Tony Paul , the Lions are among multiple teams who have already inquired with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL about K Jake Bates.
Bates drew some attention by making a 64-yard game-winning field goal for the Panthers in the first week of the UFL season.
Before that, Bates had been just a kickoff specialist in college and hadn’t made a field goal in a game since high school.
Bates, 25, played soccer for two seasons at Central Arkansas before transferring to Texas State and switching to football as a kickoff specialist. He did that for three years, spending his final year at Arkansas after another transfer.
Bates had a stint with the Texans for about a week in 2023 during the preseason. He later joined the Michigan Panthers for the 2024 UFL season.
In 2024, Bates is 1-1 on field goal attempts.
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