With the addition of former Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates to the Detroit Lions’ roster, the team announced the decision to part ways with James Turner.
Bates has officially signed a two-year contract, and will compete with Michael Badgley to be the team’s kicker this season.
Turner, a former kicker for the Michigan Wolverines, earned accolades for his accuracy all throughout the spring.
Turner transferred and played for the Wolverines in 2023, after spending four years at Louisville.
The Saline, Mich., native played in 42 games for the Cardinals, and went 47-for-59 and 124-for-127 on extra points.
Playing for a National Championship contender, Turner went 18-of-21 on field-goal attempts in his lone season with the Wolverines. Turner holds the single-season mark in Michigan football history, with 119 total points.
Turner should find success still, if he is given another opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL team, due to his ability to kick under pressure.
Related: Jake Bates Lions Contract Details Revealed
Badgley replaced Riley Patterson last season after Detroit’s victory over the Denver Broncos.
“The way that I handle those decisions, I mean, my job is to really have the best interest of the whole team in mind, or the whole locker room and all those players sitting in that meeting, and it’s not just one person,” said special teams coach Dave Fipp. “It’s really, I have a responsibility to be fair to all them by playing whoever we think is the best player. And, with a kicker, it’s pretty clear. I mean, makes and misses and percentages. And, I do think that practice matters, and I do think that players trend towards what their practice stuff is.”
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