Lions kicker Nate Freese is now former Lions kicker Nate Freese. The rookie has been cut after only three weeks with the team. Freese struggled through Detroit's first three games, hitting on only 3 of 7 field goal attempts.
One of those misses came on Sunday against Green Bay when Freese sent a 41-yard field goal sailing wide left. Freese's 42.9 percent conversion rate was the lowest in the NFL, just behind 49ers kicker Phil Dawson and Chiefs kicker Cairo Santos, who have both converted 50 percent of their kicks this season.
Freese, who the Lions took in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft, had beaten out Giorgio Tavecchio to win the Lions kicking job in the preseason. Freese made all three of his field goal attempts during the preseason, but he did miss an extra point.
To replace Freese, the Lions have brought in former Eagles kicker Alex Henery. Henery has hit 86 percent of his career field goals, but he was cut in August after struggling in the preseason. Henery was 1 of 3 during the preseason and he seemed to lose the confidence of Chip Kelly. Henery also missed a field goal in the Eagles' 26-24 playoff loss to New Orleans.