If one ex-Cincinnati Bengals kicker doesn’t work out, there is always room to try another.
The Detroit Lions were awarded kicker Austin Seibert off waivers from the Bengals on Wednesday, a day after they cut kickers Randy Bullock and Zane Gonzalez on their way to a 53-man roster.
The Lions signed Bullock, who spent the past four seasons with the Bengals, in spring free agency, and added Gonzalez midway through training camp.
Seibert, 24, was a fifth-round pick out of Oklahoma by the Cleveland Browns in 2019, when current Lions executive John Dorsey was the team’s general manager.
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He made 25 of 29 field goals for the Browns as a rookie, but missed five extra-point attempts. Last season, he split time between Cleveland and Cincinnati.
For his career, Seibert has made 81.6% of his field goal tries (31 of 38) but just 1 of 3 kicks of 50-plus yards. He appeared in four games for the Bengals late last season as a fill-in for Bullock.
The Lions, who have entrusted their kicking duties to Eddie Murray, Jason Hanson and Matt Prater for 40 of the past 41 seasons, were the only team to claim a kicker off waivers Wednesday, and in adding Seibert passed on another kicker with staff ties, ex-Los Angeles Chargers kicker Michael Badgley.
Along with Seibert, the Lions were awarded receiver Khaarel Hodge off waivers from the Browns.
Hodge also has extensive ties to the current Lions regime. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, when Lions GM Brad Holmes was the team’s college scouting director.
Let go by the Rams at the 2019 roster deadline, Hodge was claimed off waivers by Dorsey’s Browns.
He has 17 catches for 273 yards in 39 career games, and caught a career-best 11 passes for 180 yards last year for Cleveland.
The Lions are expected to place quarterback Tim Boyle on injured reserve with a broken thumb today. They have until 4 p.m. to clear a second roster spot.
Mike Ford, who was cut Monday by the Lions, was claimed on waivers by the Denver Broncos.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.