Jake Bates
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The Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett reported the Detroit Lions tendered kicker Jakes Bates an ERFA contract.
It’s official. Kicker Jake Bates will be back with the Detroit Lions during the 2026 NFL season.
The Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett reported Wednesday evening the Lions tendered Bates his ERFA contract.
“No surprise there,” Birkett wrote on X. “Bates had a nice start to his NFL career.”
Dave Birkett
The Lions have tendered K Jake Bates his ERFA contract. No surprise there. Bates has had a nice start to his NFL career
ERFA stands for “exclusive-rights free agent.” The agreement is a one-year, league-minimum salary tender that NFL teams offer to players with two or fewer accrued seasons of service and an expiring contract.
With the tender, Bates is unable to negotiate with other teams.
Lions Tender Jake Bates ERFA Contract: Report
Tendering Bates was a no-brainer decision for the Lions. The kicker made 84.1% of his field goals in his first two seasons with the club. During 2025, he connected on 27 of 34 field goals and made all but two of his 56 extra points.
Bates’s arrival has settled the field-goal kicking in Detroit. During 2023, the Lions had two different kickers, Riley Patterson and Michael Badgley, neither of whom Dan Campbell seemed particularly confident in during outdoor games.
Prior to the Lions, Bates kicked for the Michigan Panthers in the UFL. During his lone UFL season, Bates impressed with his strong kicking leg.
In fact, he connected on a 64-yard field goal in Week 1 of the UFL campaign at Ford Field. The Panthers share the same home as the Lions in downtown Detroit.
Only one field goal has been longer in NFL history — Justin Tucker’s 66-yard field goal. Tucker’s record-setting kick also took place at Ford Field.
Bates made 17 of 22 attempts in 10 games with the Panthers. He became one of two UFL players to make an NFL roster during the 2024 preseason.
Bates has yet to make a 60-yarder in the NFL. But he connected on a 58-yard try in 2024. Overall, Bates made 89.7% of his field goals as a rookie.
This past season, his success rate dropped to 79.4% on field goals. But he didn’t miss any inside of 40 yards. Furthermore, just two of his kicks inside of 50 yards were no good.
Bates also set a new career best with a made 59-yard field goal last season.
Bates’s Future With the Lions
With his ERFA tender, Bates is going to find it difficult leaving Detroit anytime soon.
Not only can he not negotiate with any other teams this offseason, next year, Bates is only a restricted free agent. It’s easier for restricted free agents to get pay raise or change teams, but he won’t hit the open market.
Once again, the Lions will have the opportunity to tender Bates a contract next offseason.
Bates will likely have to repeat his success in 2026 and then again in 2027 to land a significant deal either from the Lions or in unrestricted free agency.
Spotrac reported Bates’s tender is worth $1.075 million. As of March 4, Bates is set to be the 18th-highest paid kicker in the league during 2026.
Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey could reset the kicker market this offseason with a record-setting deal. But entering free agency, Kansas City Chiefs‘ Harrison Butler has the highest average annual salary value at $6.4 million per season.