Detroit Lions Tender Kicker ERFA Contract

The Detroit Lions have made a decision on kicker Jake Bates.

After an up and down 2025 season, the team has made the decision to tender the talented kicker his exclusive rights free agency contract.

According to the league's operations website, an ERFA contract is for "Any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If his original team offers him a one-year contract at the league minimum (based on his credited seasons), the player cannot negotiate with other teams."

Heading into the offseason, the 27-year-old was the only exclusive rights free agent left to sign on Detroit's roster.

In 2025, Bates went 27-34. Despite inconsistencies, Detroits coaching staff remains steadfast that the former UFL kicker is among the most talented players to have played the position.

In 2026, Bates will enter his third NFL season.

Could there be tweaks to kickoff rules?

At his final media session before the end of the 2025 regular season, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp was asked by reporters if he thinks there is anything that needs to be tweaked this offseason with the kickoff rules.

“I mean, I would just say I really like the play. It’s given me headaches at times, for sure. But no, I think it’s been great. I mean the plays in the game, it plays out all the time. As a coach, you have to obviously prepare a lot for it. We’ve got to spend a lot of time for it. I mean there are more kickoffs and kickoff returns than there are punt and punt returns now," said Fipp. "I think it’s like 30 percent to 20 percent, roughly. So, 60 percent of the game is kickoff, kickoff return and the other 40, not counting field goal and all that, would be punt, punt return.

"So, that’s good. Obviously the number of returns is way up, which is huge," Fipp added. "In terms of the play and going forward and all that, I’m not taking myself out of it, but I’ve never really been a big, ‘I think we should do this. I think we should do that.’ I’m more of, ‘Tell me the rules of the game and we’ll figure out a way to play them to the best of our ability and have success.’”

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