Should the Lions Re-Sign Matt Prater?
When it comes to the kicker of the Detroit Lions, the debate is heating up about Matt Prater.
He is a tad bit long in the tooth at 36 years old, and he has been in Detroit since 2014. However, at the same time, he is one of the 25 most accurate kickers in NFL history.
Not to mention, he holds the record for the longest field goal in NFL history at 64 yards.
Prater is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Despite coming off a 2019 season in which he only hit 83.9 percent of his kicks, CBS Sports still ranked him as the eighth-best kicker in the game heading into 2020.
Through 12 games this season, he's already missed seven field-goal attempts (18-of-25) -- the only year in which he missed more was during his first season as a full-time kicker with the Denver Broncos in 2008 (25-of-34).
Lions special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs still has a ton of confidence in the veteran placekicker's ability, however.
"I can tell you guys that Matt Prater has not lost his fastball," Coombs said during his weekly media session Tuesday. "He can still crush the ball. We’ve talked all year about (how) he’s had a little bit of inconsistencies with the field goals. But, make no mistake about it, the guy still has a cannon for a leg. So, I’m not worried about that right now."
I, for one, strongly believe the Lions can get another three or four quality years out of his strong right leg.
And, outside of some unforeseen reason or major injury, Prater’s average salary of $3.8 million per season will not set the team that far back when it comes to the salary cap. Plus, there is something to be said for familiarity, too.
Kickers are quirky, and it can be a challenge to find a solid fit.
A lot of younger kickers tend to bounce around, and there is something to be said for someone with real game experience, when it comes to that “got to have it” kick when the game or the season is on the line.
I say absolutely re-sign Prater.
He knows Detroit, and he knows all the other stadiums, to one degree or another, too.
While it is easy for fans, coaches and executives to have a quick knee-jerk reaction and get really down on a kicker after a big miss or two, I feel it is very important to look at as much of the kicker’s full body of work as possible, before jumping to any conclusions and holding open tryouts.
With that being said, I have gone back and watched all of his kicks for the past two seasons, and this is what I see.
2020: Point-after-attempts are automatic if you dismiss the one in Week 13 against Chicago, when he hit the right upright.
His kickoffs are often strategically short, and that is by design. Detroit tends to like to put the returns into play, in hopes of stopping opponents short of the 25 yard-line that touchbacks produce. Prater knows exactly how and where to place the football. He looks like a veteran who knows what he is doing.
At the same time, in that same game against the Bears, he showcased he can still kick the air out of the ball and reach the back of the end zone. Prater still has a really strong leg. When it comes to field goals, it shows, and he can do it under stressful, pressure-packed situations, as well.
That 59-yard game-winner against Washington in Week 10 was heroic. He was 3-for-3 that day, and along with the 59-yarder, he made ones from 37 and 53 yards out. Prater was named Special Teams Player of the Week for that game against Washington.
Prater celebrates with teammates after kicking game-winning field goal against Washington.
Tim Fuller, USA TODAY Sports
He also consistently displayed accurate and dependable range against Atlanta in Week 7, hitting from 51, 50 and 49 yards. He missed one from 46, but hit a longer-range extra point to win that one for Detroit too.
In Week 6, he belted two from 31 and 41 yards, respectively, but missed one from 57 yards.
He was stellar in Week 3 against Arizona, going 4-for-4 from 24, 35 and 37 yards, with the game-winner being from 39 yards.
The Lions have put Prater in a number of long-range situations, and he has faired pretty well.
When he has missed in 2020, he has tended to go wide left (Week 11 from 51 vs. CAR, Week 9 from 46 vs. MIN, Week 8 from 48 vs. IND and Week 6 from 57 vs. JAX).
2019: Once again, he was like a machine when it came to point-after-tries, minus the one miss in Week 2 against the L.A. Chargers.
His kickoffs were again often strategically short, as Detroit encouraged returns, opposed to the automatic touchbacks.
He placed an onside kick against the Bears in Week 13 perfectly. He drilled it by design right where it had to go.
When it came to field goals, he rocketed them from 42 and 46 yards out in Week 17 vs. Chicago. He hit a 44-yarder against Tampa Bay in Week 15. He added one from 54 yards against Dallas in Week 11, and against the Vikings in Week 7, he cranked one through the uprights from 46 yards.
Prater had a monstrous game at night in a hostile Green Bay in Week 6, hitting from 22, 41, 51 and 54 yards. During the week prior against Kansas City, he smoked two through the big yellow uprights, from 48 and 53 yards, respectively.
When it came to his misses, his tendency was to go wide right (Week 14 from 45 against MIN, Week 12 from 39 vs. WSH, Week 8 from 53 vs. NYG and Week 2 from 40 vs. PHI).
2019 and 2020 combined grade
Matt Prater - 5-foot-10, 195 pounds
GRADE: B+ (Good player, but not elite; he's good enough to win with, however)
Scouting Report
He shows no signs of slowing down. Age is just a number for this guy. Ironically, he tended to pull it wide left in 2020 when he missed and to the right in 2019. No ongoing tendencies to be concerned about in that regard. Still demonstrates a powerful leg. He was called upon a lot in long-range situations. Prater has the leg and the range, combined with valuable experience. He has what it takes, and he fully understands the art of kicking at the highest of levels.
To put Prater further into perspective, he and Sebastian Janikowski have the most 50-plus-yard field goals in NFL history.
Field-goal kickers are a rare breed, and nobody really cares a lot about them until the game or the season is on the line.
The kickers casually jog out onto the field, as fans sit with their hearts in their throats and with their fingers crossed.
Nobody is perfect, but Prater is pretty darn good.
If he does not kick for Detroit, he absolutely will be kicking for another team next season.
I say avoid that headache of trying to replace him until you have to, which is not right now.
He’s money. Pay him.
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