Lions' Prater wants to handle kickoffs this year

One of Matt Prater's first jobs in the NFL was as a kickoff specialist for the Denver Broncos. After not handling kickoffs last year for the first time since he broke into the league, Prater said he hopes to resume those duties with the Detroit Lions this fall.

"That's something we've talked about," Prater said during minicamp last week. "I'm sure Sam (Martin) and I will kick them both in preseason, and we'll see what happens. I don't know -- I'd like to do them, but if Sam hits them better than me, I think, for the team, it's best if he does them."

The Lions are in the fortunate position of having two big legs capable of handling kickoffs.

Prater was one of the best in the NFL during his seven seasons with the Broncos, and Martin ranks among the best in the league now.

Martin averaged 64.3 yards per kickoff last year and had touchbacks on 70.7% of his kicks, second only to the Carolina Panthers' Graham Gano. In 2013, the last year Prater handled kickoffs in Denver, he averaged 64.8 yards per kickoff and had a 71.1% touchback rate (again, second to Gano).

Martin, 25, is six years younger than Prater, which could factor into the Lions' decision. And Prater, who had the benefit of kicking in high altitude during his years in Denver, said he doesn't need to handle kickoffs to stay in rhythm on game days.

Last year, after a slow start in which he missed two of his first three field goals after signing with the Lions in early October, following a four-game NFL suspension, Prater settled in and made 20 of his final 23 field goals to solidify the Lions' kicking game.

"I don't think it'll matter either way," Prater said. "It's just whatever helps the team the most is what I'm willing to do."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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