Training camps have been open less than a week, but one of the NFL’s best teams has already incurred some serious damage.
The Lions will be without starting kicker Michael Badgley for the rest of the season following a hamstring tear, according to multiple reports.
Badgley, 28, suffered the injury while getting readying for practice on Thursday, according to the Detroit Free Press.
The seven-year veteran had spent parts of the past two seasons with the Lions.
After starter Riley Patterson was waived in late December, Badgley appeared in the final four games of the regular season and each step of the Lions’ playoff run to the NFC Championship Game.
In that span, Badgley made all seven of his field goals, including a 54-yarder against the Rams in the wild-card game.
The kicker re-signed with Detroit in February after previously suiting up for the Chargers, Colts, Titans and Bears.
“I feel awful for Badgley, man,” head coach Dan Campbell said Friday. “He worked his tail off to get ready for this season and he was having a good spring and was ready for camp. It’s tough.”
Now, Campbell and the Lions will have to pivot, with Jake Bates as the last remaining healthy kicker on the roster — although starting punter Jack Fox did kick in college.
Veteran options still on the market include Brandon McManus and former Giant Randy Bullock.
Another possibility is reuniting with Austin Seibert — now on the Jets and the backup to presumed starter Greg Zuerlein.
As a collective team last year, the Lions made 90.5 percent of their field goals, good for 11th in the NFL, albeit on a league-low 21 attempts.
However, extra points proved a bit more of a challenge, with Detroit converting just 92.3 percent, ranking 27th.
After extending Jared Goff and Penei Sewell and returning stars like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions are widely regarded as Super Bowl contenders.
The Lions begin their preseason on Aug. 8 from MetLife Stadium by taking on the Giants before starting the regular season a month later against the Rams in a playoff rematch.
