TACTICAL SIGNING: Lions Have Dip Into UFL Again To Sign New Kicker To Replace Greg Joseph Who Have Signed For New York Giants

After losing Greg Joseph to the New York Giants on Tuesday, it seemed logical that the Detroit Lions would replace him on the practice squad with another kicker. Matt McCrane has joined the Lions’ practice squad, as initially reported by the Brownwood News and later confirmed by the organization.

The Brownwood News carried a quote from McCrane.

“I’m excited for another chance at the big show. The UFL has provided me with a platform to demonstrate my talent, which I am grateful for…. Regardless of what lies ahead, I am glad for every opportunity. Countless hours of training with support from family, coaches, and friends… My father has recently kept me motivated and disciplined during the difficulty of free agency. It’s a grind, and you never know when that call will arrive. “Well, today it did.”

McCrane has spent the last two spring football seasons with the DC Defenders of the XFL (2023) and the amalgamated UFL (2024). Last spring, he was 16-for-20 on field goals, with a long of 58. The previous year, he went 12-for-16 with a long of 50 yards. Over two seasons, he went 6-for-8 from 50 yards or more.

McCrane had already played for multiple NFL teams before joining the spring leagues. As a rookie in 2018, he appeared in five games for three different teams (the Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, and Pittsburgh Steelers), going 9-for-9 on extra points and 8-for-12 on field goals. Between then to January 2022, he worked on the practice teams of the Cleveland Browns, Cardinals, and Philadelphia Eagles. He also kicked for the New York Guardians in the 2020 XFL season.

Lions return to spring football ranks to add a new kicker to practice squad.Following Michael Badgley’s season-ending injury at the start of training camp, McCrane was one of four kickers invited to work out by the Lions. So he’s not entirely unknown to them, and he has some NFL experience.

Jake Bates, of course, shone in the UFL last season, and he has repaid the Lions’ patience throughout the preseason with no slipups in two games. But Brad Holmes wanted a kicker with more NFL experience on the practice squad, so the rapid switch from Joseph to McCrane is unsurprising.

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