The Packers, on the other hand, fell three points shy of a meeting with the Lions in the NFC Championship. Both organizations feel great heading into the 2024 season, however, they seem to be battling over the same free agent for the upcoming season.
The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions figure to be fighting for the top two spots in the NFC North in 2024. The Lions had a record breaking season last year that saw them fall just three points shy of reaching their first ever Super Bowl.
According to Aaron Wilson with KPRC, the Packers requested to host All-star kicker Jake Bates for a visit. The Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, and Baltimore Ravens have also requested to visit with the UFL star.
Bates had a stellar year for the Michigan Panthers. He went 17/22 on field goals during the regular season. His long was from 64 yards. The Arkansas standout was initially signed by the Houston Texans in 2023 but was released during training camp last year.
Bates had a lot of use during the Panthers’ 31-18 loss to the Birmingham Stallions on Saturday. He went 4/6 on field goals, including nailing a Forward kick. Bates did have a miscue on a kickoff in the second quarter. He kicked the ball out of bounds following a score, which would give the Stallions the ball at the Broward line. The Stallions would score a touchdown on the next play.
