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Detroit Lions rumors: Matt Prater to replace Alex Henery?

By Wes Goldberg

Aug 28, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Denver Broncos place kicker Matt Prater (5) on the sidelines during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Denver beat Dallas 27-3. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 28, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Denver Broncos place kicker Matt Prater (5) on the sidelines during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Denver beat Dallas 27-3. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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The recently released Matt Prater could replace Alex Henery as the Detroit Lions’ kicker

Kickers make headlines when either (a) they blow a game or (b) they win a game. For the kickers involved in the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills game that came down to the last few seconds, they each will find their names in headlines this week.

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Bills kicker Dan Carpenter hit a 58-yarder with four seconds left to give Buffalo a 17-14 win. Meanwhile Lions kicker Alex Henery went 0-of-3 on field goals, a pathetic outing that lost the game for his team.

The Lions have struggled with kickers this season. They signed Henery after cutting rookie Nate Freese. On the season, the Lions are 1-of-9 on field goals longer than 30 yards. Luckily for Detroit, the Denver Broncos recently cut their kicker in a surprise move. As they say, one Bronco’s trash could be a Lion’s treasure.

Via Michael David, ProFootballTalk.com:

"Detroit’s top priority this week will be finding a kicker, with Matt Prater, released last week by the Broncos, the most likely option. Buffalo is feeling good about itself with a road win — the first of what the Bills hope will be many this year with Orton at the helm."

Prater was cut citing a “football decision” following a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He was set to be reinstated, but fill-in kicker Brandon McManus impressed enough to warrant keeping the job. That puts Prater, regarded as one of the league’s best kickers, on the open market.

Prater made 25-of-26 field goals last season, and is a 81.6 percent kicker for his career.

Looking at Twitter trends, the social network as already connected the dots. We’ll see if the Lions do, too.

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