Allen Park — Austin Seibert won the Detroit Lions’ kicking job in training camp, but a groin injury, a residual issue from a surgery last year, has cost him the role just four games into the season.
On Friday, the Lions waived Seibert.
Although the team didn’t announce a corresponding move, it’s expected Michael Badgely will be elevated off the practice squad to fill the void, at least for the short term.
It’s a tough break for Seibert, who was claimed off waivers by the Lions days before the start of last season. After having some initial success, making 10 of 12 field goals with a long of 52, he was shut down for the season after six games, due to an abductor injury that required surgery.
Seibert returned this offseason and was able to edge out Riley Patterson, who served as his injury replacement the previous season. Despite Patterson going 13-for-14 on his field-goal attempts in 2021, it was clear throughout training camp that Seibert had the stronger leg and better accuracy.
Patterson quickly found a new home, landing in Jacksonville off waivers following his release. He’s off to a strong start with his new team, making seven of his first eight field goals, including a 52-yarder.
But a groin injury, related to scar tissue from the abductor surgery, sidelined Seibert last week and limited his ability to practice this week, heading into Sunday’s game against New England. The Lions used Dominik Eberle in Seibert’s place last week, but the young kicker struggled, missing two extra points and sending a kickoff out of bounds.
Eberle was let go on Tuesday and the team added Badgley, an experienced veteran, to the practice squad. Spending most of his career with the Chargers, he’s appeared in 48 games, making 81.2% of his field goal attempts, with a long of 59 yards. After struggling in 2020, he was let go by the Chargers and split time with the Colts and Titans last season.
Most recently, Badgley played for the Chicago Bears last week as an injury replacement, making all four of his field-goal attempts and accounting for all of the Bears’ points in a 20-12 loss to the New York Giants.
Prior to Seibert’s release being announced, Badgley declined an interview request in the locker room Friday afternoon.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers