ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Matt Prater is staying with the Detroit Lions after making the most of his opportunity to help alleviate their kicking problems last year.
The Lions and Prater have agreed to terms on a new contract. Prater went 21 of 26 on field goals for Detroit after Nate Freese and Alex Henery had gone 4 of 12 to start last season. The Denver Broncos cut ties with Prater as he was returning from a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy, and the Lions were quick to pick him up.
When he joined the Lions in October, Prater said he'd voluntarily entered a 12-step program to deal with his alcohol issues. His on-field performance was a nice boost to his new team.
The Lions also agreed to terms with backup quarterback Kellen Moore.
Last season was Prater's eighth in the NFL, and he'd spent most of the previous seven with the Broncos. He made 25 of 26 field goals in 2013, including a record-setting 64-yarder against Tennessee, and earned his first Pro Bowl honor.
Now Prater has a chance to stay with the Lions for a while and give them some real stability in the kicking game for the first time since Jason Hanson's retirement after the 2012 season. They used a seventh-round draft pick on Freese last year, but he was cut before the end of September.
Detroit re-signed long snapper Don Muhlbach last month, so the Lions have taken steps to keep some key players on special teams.
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