The Buffalo Bills announced on Monday afternoon that the team released kicker Michael Badgley from the practice squad, ending his brief tenure with the franchise after just two games. Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters last week that Matt Prater was improving from his right quad injury, which put the writing on the wall for Badgley.
Badgley was inconsistent in a Bills uniform, hitting his only field goal try from 41 yards out against Cleveland. He missed half of his four extra point tries, one unforced miss against the Browns and another blocked against the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. He also missed the landing zone on a kickoff against the Browns.
Badgley came to Buffalo to spot the team after Matt Prater was sidelined with a quad injury, but unfortunately for Badgley, the same issues that made him a free agent in the first place were apparent in his brief time in Western New York.
Buffalo Bills moves on at kicker with eyes on a Week 18 upgrade
Of course, Badgley’s release isn’t a guarantee that Prater will return for the season finale against the New York Jets next Sunday. The Bills hosted a few kickers between the Browns and Eagles game, though they decided to stick with Badgley, nonetheless.
That said, the best-case scenario for Buffalo is to get Prater back in the lineup. The team clearly didn’t have the same level of trust in Badgley as it does in Prater, opting for two-point conversions and fourth-down attempts in the red zone against Philadelphia.
Prater, a 41-year-old with 19 years of NFL experience, hasn’t been perfect for Buffalo, but he’s been solid in relief of Tyler Bass, who was lost for the season before the campaign kicked off with a hip/groin injury that required surgery in early December. Prater has hit 18 of 20 field goal attempts this season for the Bills and has put 43 of 46 PATs through the uprights as well.
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Bills fans will have to wait and watch the week of practice unfold to be sure of who will be kicking for Buffalo in Week 18, but so far, all signs point to Prater being on the field when the Bills host the Jets in their season finale, the final regular-season contest at Highmark Stadium.