Detroit Lions Sign Veteran Place Kicker Alex Henery In Replacement Of Rookie Nate Freese

It didn’t take long for the Detroit Lions to realize that it was time to stop utilizing their seventh-round draft choice moving forward.

Nate Freese, the rookie out of Boston College, was released by the team on Monday following their 19-7 victory at home against the Green Bay Packers.

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Through the first three games of the season, Freese’s performance was less than spectacular as the kicker already missed four field goals, all from 40 yards or longer.

Despite kicking through the uprights three times, Freese is ranked last in the NFL in field goal accuracy. His longest field goal was a mere 30 yards.

It certainly comes as a surprise that Freese was so inconsistent early on, due to the fact that he was a perfect 20-for-20 his senior year for the Eagles.

With Detroit parting ways with the 229th overall pick in this year’s draft, the Lions wasted little time to address their need at kicker by signing free agent Alex Henery.

The acquisition was announced by head coach Jim Caldwell at a press conference on Monday.

"“(Henery) will be handling our placekicking duties from here on out,” he said (via Detroit News)."

Henery, a three-year veteran, was recently cut by the Philadelphia Eagles in favor of undrafted rookie Cody Parkey following a preseason battle between the two kickers.

Henery was one of three kickers who worked out with the Lions this past week, including Garrett Hartley and Rob Bironas, who passed away in a car crash this weekend.

A former fourth round selection by the Eagles in 2011, Henery missed only one extra point with Philadelphia the past three seasons.

He was 51-of-58 in field goals his first two years in the league but missed five (23-of-28) last season. He was 8-of-12 from 40-yards or more last season as well.

“Felt he was the best out of the bunch. He was accurate,” Caldwell said (via ESPN). “Not only that, he was really decisive in terms of his kicks. … He has experience in the league and is going to be able to do the things that we are going to require him to do.”