NFL Player News
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Mike Badgley K | IND
Lions' Michael Badgley: Getting cut by Detroit
The Lions are slated to release Badgley, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Badgley made 20 of 24 field-goal attempts (83.3 percent) and all 33 of his PATs in 12 games for Detroit last season, later re-signing with the team this spring. He nonetheless became expendable after the Lions traded for Riley Patterson, who made 30 of 35 FGAs (85.7 percent) and 36 of 37 PATs (97.3 percent) for the Jaguars last year. Furthermore, the Lions have K John Parker Romo, a former Virginia Tech kicker who made 17 of 19 FGAs in the XFL earlier this year. It won't be surprising if another team quickly signs Badgley to compete for a kicker spot.
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Chase McLaughlin K | TB
Buccaneers' Chase McLaughlin: Will have notable camp competition
McLaughlin will engage in a training camp battle for the starting placekicker job with Rodrigo Blankenship, who signed with the Buccaneers on June 16, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.
The two kickers are familiar with each other, considering Blankenship beat out McLauglin for the right to replace the just-retired Adam Vinatieri during Colts training camp in 2020. McLaughlin then served as Blankenship's replacement last season in Indianapolis after the latter's release following Week 1. With both kickers having a solid amount of NFL experience in their young careers, the latest battle could come down to the final preseason game.
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Tanner Brown K | ATL
Rams' Tanner Brown: Wins starting role for now
Brown currently stands as the Rams' only kicker after Christopher Dunn was waived, Cameron DaSilva of TheRamsWire reports.
With Dunn being waived, Brown won the battle of the UDFA's looking to replace one of the most accurate and consistent kickers in the league in Matt Gay. This doesn't mean the job is necessarily Brown's as of yet, as the team may choose to bring in another kicker to compete for the job this summer. However, for now, Brown can be penciled in as the Rams' starting kicker.
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Christopher Dunn K | LAR
Christopher Dunn: Gets cut loose
Dunn was waived by the Rams on Thursday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Dunn had signed with Los Angeles as an undrafted free agent out of NC State in May. He'll now need to work to find a new opportunity elsewhere, while Tanner Brown, also an undrafted free agent, becomes the only kicker on the Rams' depth chart for the time being.
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Rodrigo Blankenship K | TB
Buccaneers' Rodrigo Blankenship: Set to sign with Tampa Bay
Blankenship is slated to sign with the Buccaneers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Blankenship had a tryout with Tampa Bay earlier in the week, which evidently went well and earned him a deal. He'll now compete with Chase McLaughlin to earn kicking duties with the Buccaneers for this season. Interestingly, McLaughlin took over at kicker for the Colts last season upon Blankenship being waived. Ultimately, the latter ended up with an opportunity in Arizona where he made two appearances and made both of his field-goal attempts and two of three extra-point tries before being waived with an undisclosed injury. The injury seemingly ended up being a torn muscle in his leg, which was repaired via surgery in January.
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Rodrigo Blankenship K | TB
Rodrigo Blankenship: Working out for Tampa Bay
Blankenship (undisclosed) is with the Buccaneers for a minicamp tryout this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Blankenship had surgery in January to repair a torn muscle in his leg but now appears ready to go ahead of the 2023 campaign. The kicker was waived by the Colts in September and appeared in three total games with Indianapolis and Arizona in 2022, going 4-for-5 on field-goal attempts and 4-for-5 on PATs.
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Chase McLaughlin K | TB
Buccaneers' Chase McLaughlin: Wins kicking competition
McLaughlin is the lone kicker remaining on Tampa Bay's roster after the team waived Jake Verity on Wednesday, Greg Auman of Fox Sports reports.
Tampa Bay didn't make a corresponding move with Verity's release, so for the time being, McLaughlin looks set to head into training camp atop the depth chart. However, expect the Buccaneers to bring in another kicker to compete with McLaughlin at some point later in the offseason. Over the last two seasons, McLaughlin has gone 45-for-57 on field-goal tries and 57-for-58 on extra-point attempts.
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Riley Patterson K | MIA
Lions' Riley Patterson: Flipped to Detroit for late pick
The Lions acquired Patterson from the Jaguars in exchange for a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick Thursday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports.
It was initially reported that Patterson was going to be waived by the Jaguars after they signed Brandon McManus on Thursday, but Detroit swooped in late and kept Patterson from hitting the open market. Patterson went 30-of-35 on field goals last season and 36-of-37 on extra points. He kicked for the Lions in 2021 for seven games, making 13 of 14 field goals in that span.
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Riley Patterson K | MIA
Riley Patterson: Gets cut loose
Patterson was waived by the Jaguars on Thursday.
Patterson handled kicking duties for all 17 Jaguars games last season, making 30 of his 35 field-goal attempts and 36 of his 37 extra-point tries. In a corresponding move, Jacksonville signed former Broncos kicker Brandon McManus. Patterson will now work to find a new opportunity.
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Brandon McManus K | GB
Jaguars' Brandon McManus: Finds new home in Jacksonville
The Jaguars signed McManus to a one-year contract Thursday.
McManus was released by the Broncos on Tuesday, but after just two days he finds a new home in Jacksonville. The 31-year-old, who had spent his entire NFL career to date in Denver, converted just 28 of 36 field goals to go with 25 of 27 extra-point attempts during the 2022 season. Though McManus' conversion percentage isn't extraordinary, that's in part due to his high volume of long-distance kicks (13 tries from 50-plus yards last season). He was 10-for-10 on attempts from 40-49 yards out in 2022.