Lions officially bring back Jake Bates on one-year deal
Jake Bates, who entered the offseason as an exclusive-rights free agent, is officially back with the Detroit Lions.
As expected, Jake Bates is officially back with the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal for the 2026 season. Bates, a former undrafted free agent who received an opportunity with the Lions due to his success with the UFL’s Michigan Panthers, entered the offseason as an exclusive-rights free agent (ERFA), and the Lions tendered him. That means Bates was offered a one-year deal at the league’s minimum salary, and he was unable to negotiate with any other teams because of it.
ERFAs who are tendered can either sign the one-year offer or, in rare cases, sit out for the upcoming season. Bates put pen to paper on the deal, putting him in line to be Detroit’s kicker for the third consecutive season. Bates has made 53 of his 63 field-goal attempts over the last two seasons, and he’s 43-for-46 on tries from within 50 yards.
He’s connected on 118 of his 123 extra points. rsilva@gannett. com rich_silva18 This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Jake Bates officially back with Detroit Lions on one-year deal