ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions, after three weeks of mediocrity at the kicking position, cut rookie Nate Freese and signed veteran Alex Henery on Monday.
Freese, a seventh-round pick out of Boston College, struggled from the outset this season, making just 3 of 7 field goals -- with all four misses from 40 yards or longer.
Lions coach Jim Caldwell said he still believes Freese, who won the starting job after a training camp battle with Giorgio Tavecchio, will eventually be a good kicker in the NFL.
"Performance is what counts in this league," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. "No matter who you are and no matter what position you play. No matter what you do -- whether you're coaching, whether you're playing, whatever it might be -- everybody is evaluated and would expect to perform accordingly."
Henery, who was released by Philadelphia in the preseason in favor of rookie Cody Parkey, made 74 of 86 field goals during his first three seasons in the league. He was 22 of 26 in the 40- to 50-yard range and 2 of 5 from 50-plus yards.
Henery was one of three kickers who worked out for the Lions last week, joining Garrett Hartley and the late Rob Bironas, who died in a car accident Saturday night.
"Felt he was the best out of the bunch. He was accurate," Caldwell said. "Not only that, he was really decisive in terms of his kicks. ... He has experience in the league and is going to be able to do the things that we are going to require him to do."