Nate

Freese

The Lions wouldn’t have used a draft pick on a kicker if they didn’t expect him to easily beat out Giorgio Tavecchio. Freese made all 20 of his field-goal attempts at Boston College last year and will be on the fantasy radar as a dome kicker in an explosive offense.

Freese will compete with John Potter and Giorgio Tavecchio to replace David Akers. As a general rule, teams don’t use draft picks on kickers they don’t expect to win the job. Freese converted 70-of-81 (86.4 percent) field-goal attempts for Boston College.

Freese (5-foot-11, 192) was perfect as a senior, connecting on all 20 of his field-goal attempts. Across his four-year career, he went 70-of-81 (86.4 percent), finishing as BC’s all-time leader in both field goals and points (317). He also handled kickoffs. Freese will compete with John Potter and Giorgio Tavecchio for the right to replace David Akers. Freese is the favorite.

Giorgio Tavecchio was released Monday. The Lions could still bring in another veteran that shakes loose, but they used a seventh-round pick on Freese -- who went 20-of-20 for Boston College last season. He’s on the fantasy radar thanks to dome conditions and the Lions’ explosive offense.

Seventh-round rookie Nate Freese is just two for his first five on field goals, and on extremely thin ice. Arguably any of the three veterans the Lions worked out would be an improvement.

This one was a 41-yarder in the friendly kicking confines of Ford Field. Freese, who went 20-of-20 at Boston College last season, is now 3-of-7 through three NFL games. It’s time for the Lions to cut losses on their seventh-round pick.

Freese, a seventh-round rookie, has gone 3-of-7 on field goals so far. This comes after going 20-of-20 at Boston College last year. He’ll be replaced by Alex Henery, who lost his job in Philly to Cody Parkey.

Freese missed two 49-yard attempts at Carolina Sunday and also missed from 43 yards in Week 1. He went 20-of-20 at Boston College last year. It’s possible the Lions will be looking into free agent kickers this week.