In 2023, the Detroit Lions enjoyed a prosperous season with a record of 12-5, marking their first playoff victory since 1991. Despite reaching the NFC Championship Game, they suffered a setback, surrendering a 17-point lead to the San Francisco 49ers.
However, they are looking to enhance their roster by renewing kicker Michael Badgley’s contract for one more year, as reported by Dov Kleiman.
Badgley had a significant impact during the regular season, appearing in four games for Detroit and demonstrating accuracy by converting all four of his field goal attempts and 13 of 15 extra-point tries. In the playoffs, he continued his flawless performance, successfully executing all field goal and extra-point kicks.
Initially starting the season on Detroit’s practice squad, Badgley’s skills earned him a promotion to the first string after the team parted ways with Riley Patterson. His previous stint with the team in 2022 showcased his reliability, with a 20 out of 24 field goals success rate and a perfect 33 out of 33 on extra-point attempts over 12 games.
Despite being released by the Lions in July, Badgley was quickly brought back just over a month later. The team’s roster predominantly consists of young talent on both offense and defense, featuring notable players like wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, tight end Sam LaPorta, running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, and defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson.
The primary question revolves around quarterback Jared Goff’s ability to elevate his performance and evolve into a quarterback capable of leading a championship-winning team. Despite his impressive statistics of 4,575 passing yards and 30 touchdowns this season, there remains speculation about whether he can reach the level of a true championship-caliber quarterback.
Nevertheless, the Detroit Lions are positioned as strong contenders to reclaim the NFC North title in 2024, given their recent success. However, the division is expected to be more competitive, implying that the Lions will face tougher challenges in their pursuit of victory.
