Lions Tender Exclusive Rights Free Agent Offer to Kicker Jake Bates

The Detroit Lions have tendered an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) offer to kicker Jake Bates. The one-year deal at the league minimum salary keeps Bates in Detroit, where he has been a valued part of the special teams unit. Despite a slight dip in accuracy in 2025, the Lions remain committed to Bates, who showed improvement on the new NFL kickoff format.