Spring football has been a breeding ground for high-quality special teams players over the past few seasons.
In 2022, Kavontae Turpin went from star New Jersey Generals playmaker to an All-Pro return man for the Cowboys. Dallas followed up its success in 2023 by signing Birmingham Stallions kicker Brandon Aubrey and seeing the former soccer player turn into an All-Pro talent who made an NFL record 35 consecutive field goals to begin his career.
The 2024 cycle of spring-league signings is expected to be highlighted by another kicker: Michigan Panthers star Jake Bates, who has taken the UFL by storm.
Bates didn't attempt a single field goal during his college career. He played college soccer at Central Arkansas before becoming a kickoff specialist at Texas State and later Arkansas.
Despite this, Bates has made 12 of 14 field goals in his first UFL season. That included a 64-yard game-winner on his first field-goal attempt since his high school days. He has followed that up by getting another game-winner and making a couple more kicks from 60-plus yards.
Bates seems likely to get a crack at an NFL kicking job thanks, in part, to Aubrey's success. Luckily for him, there are plenty of NFL teams that could use kicker upgrades, including one in his home team's backyard.
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Jake Bates landing spots
Detroit Lions
The Lions seem like the perfect landing spot for Bates. Detroit has alternated between Riley Patterson and Michael Badgley at kicker over the past couple of seasons, but neither staked a claim to the job. Badgley closed the season as the kicker and is the team's incumbent, but Bates would be an excellent young challenger for the Money Badger.
Bates has proven that he can kick at Ford Field — the home of the Michigan Panthers — and nailed a 64-yarder at the stadium on his first professional field goal attempt. That should give the Lions confidence that the 24-year-old can beat out Badgley and establish himself as a great placekicker, much like Brandon Aubrey did for the Cowboys last season.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are set to have an intriguing kicker competition in 2024. They let Greg Joseph walk and join the Packers in free agency before selecting Will Reichard in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to replace him. Minnesota also has former San Antonio Brahmas star John Parker Romo on the roster, but they could be willing to add another potential-packed kicker to the mix.
Bates would give the Vikings three strong-legged kickers and would allow them to ride with whoever has the hottest boot during training camp. Minnesota might also view Bates as a better kicker than Romo, so they could sign Bates and release Romo to avoid rostering three kickers.
Either way, the Vikings have one of the NFL's most uncertain kicking situations, and while Reichard may be the favorite, adding another young challenger to the mix is never a bad idea.
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New England Patriots
Bill Belichick spent a fourth-round pick on Chad Ryland during the 2023 NFL Draft. The Maryland product was a disaster as a rookie, making just 18 of his 25 field goal attempts and just 7-of-14 from beyond 40 yards. He had a nice moment on Christmas Eve, making a 56-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to beat the Broncos, but New England still needs competition for him.
Joey Slye could be all the Patriots need, but he is on his fifth team of the past five seasons. Bates has far more upside and the leg strength needed to succeed in any potential bad weather in New England. Even if he doesn't win the job, he could light a fire under Ryland to help the second-year pro improve.
New York Giants
Graham Gano has long been one of the NFL's better kickers, but he played in just eight games last season due to injury. The 37-year-old made just 11-of-17 field goal attempts, so he may be starting to regress as he enters the twilight of his career.
The Giants could use a high-upside successor for Gano. They signed Rutgers product Jude McAtamney as an undrafted free agent, but they could be interested in Bates given his high-level success in the UFL.
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Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are another team with an unsettled kicking situation. They spent a sixth-round pick on Stanford's Joshua Karty and have Tanner Brown on the roster, but neither has attempted a field goal at the NFL level.
Bates hasn't done that either, but his spring-league success could inspire the Rams to add him to their open-looking kicking competition.
Arizona Cardinals
Matt Prater remains an effective NFL kicker and made the league's longest kick in 2024 at 62 yards. He also is turning 40 in August, so it isn't clear how much longer he will kick at a high level — or how much longer he wants to play in the NFL.
The Cardinals don't have a kicker behind Prater on their 90-man roster. Bates would be an excellent understudy who could benefit immensely from learning under Prater, who turned his strong leg into a big-time weapon during his NFL career.