Jake Bates made a name for himself in the UFL this spring.
He made 17-of-22 field goals this season playing his home games at Ford Field for the Michigan Panthers, including a game-winning 64-yard field goal in the Panthers' season-opening win over the St. Louis Battlehawks and had two other 60-plus-yard field goals this season.
Bates, who signed with the Lions after the UFL season, showed off that big leg in practice on Thursday, going 6-for-6 during team period field goal attempts, including a 53 yarder with plenty of room to spare.
If Bates is going to win the kicking job over incumbent Michael Badgley, he knows that consistency is key.
View photos from Day 1 of Detroit Lions training camp on Wednesday July 24, 2024.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Kevin Zeitler (71) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Wide Receivers Coach Antwaan Randle El during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jalon Calhoun (80) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Josh Schuler during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Antoine Green (18) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Nate Sudfeld (8) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Tight Ends Coach Steve Heiden during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (4) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki (33), Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jake Funk (36) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jalon Calhoun (80), Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions long snapper Hogan Hatten (49) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
"It's big time," Bates said after practice Thursday when asked how important it is to prove his consistency in training camp. "It's big time for anybody but especially in the kicker position. You are judged off how consistent you can be every single day. That's something I work really hard on and hopefully I can keep showing."
This isn't Bates' first attempt at making an NFL roster out of camp. After going undrafted in 2023 out of Arkansas, he signed with the Houston Texans but was released midway through camp.
Bates said his time with the Panthers gave him a lot of confidence. Detroit is where he wanted to be if the NFL came calling after the UFL season. He thinks he's grown up a lot since his time in camp with Houston last year and knows what to expect and what's expected of him.
"I'm not going in so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed like I did with (Houston)," he said. "I'm super grateful for that opportunity to kind of show me the ropes for the first time."
This time around, he's hoping to show he belongs at this level. To do that he's got to show consistency over the next month.
SUPER BOWL OR BUST
All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown knows expectations outside the building for this Lions team are high, but no higher than St. Brown and others within the building have for themselves.
"It's like, what do you want to accomplish as a team? I can truthfully say this year, it's not even playoffs. It's not the No. 1 seed. It's the Super Bowl," St. Brown said Wednesday after the team's first practice of training camp.
"I just feel like everyone in the room — and this is the first year I feel like truly as a team, we all feel the same way. We all want to win a Super Bowl. We know we can win the Super Bowl. We have the team, we have the coaches, we have everything we need in this building to win a Super Bowl, and that's our goal. That's our focus in everything we do from here on moving forward is to get that Super Bowl."
The Lions return an offense that was third in total offense, fifth in points, fifth in rushing and second in passing last season. The defense went through a big overhaul this offseason, especially at cornerback, and is expected to be much better than the unit that finished 19th in total defense in 2023.
WILLIAMS DIFFERENCE
It's only been two days and we still have to wait until Monday before the pads come on, but Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he can already see the impact new run game coordinator and defensive line coach Terrell Williams, who came over this offseason from the Tennessee Titans, has made on that unit.
"There again, without pads on I don't want to go too far, I just know fundamentally I already feel a difference in what we are doing with our D-line," Campbell said. "Where we strike and our ability to shed is starting to show up. I feel like we're – just these little things that we emphasize, that he's emphasizing are showing up so yeah, I do see it."
The defensive line had a terrific day Thursday with multiple sacks, a couple plays behind the line of scrimmage and just overall being a disruptive group in team periods vs. the offense.
MEIJER PERFORMANCE CENTER RENOVATIONS
Principal owner Sheila Hamp has spent millions of dollars over the last few years upgrading the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park with the most recent upgrade being a new state of the art training room.
"Sheila and (team president) Rod (Wood) have never shied away from, 'What do we need to do to help these players? What can we give them? What kind of updates can we do?' So, man, our training room is outstanding," Campbell said. "We just revamped that whole thing. I'm telling you what, it's top notch. No different than when we brought in (Lions Director of Player Health and Performance) Brett Fischer last year and his crew.
"It's all about, how do we help these players and give them the very best? You want them to feel like 'I don't have to go somewhere else to get the best treatment that I can get or the best training I can get.' We want it all in this building, and we are committed to do that. So yeah, I do think it goes a long way. I think they know that it is for them. That's one of the things we're about here."
A lot of teams hit the road for training camp, but the Lions have everything they need right here in Allen Park and it just keeps getting better every year with the upgrades the team continues to invest in.
EXTRA POINT
Rookie guard Christian Mahogany is dealing with an illness and did not practice Thursday.
