Cesar Tordesillas

The Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with free agent kicker David Akers to replace the retired Jason Hanson.

Akers, 38, was brought in this week for a visit but left without a contract.

The 15-year veteran is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, converting only 69 percent of his field goal attempts (29 of 42) for thee 49ers in 2012, a number that ranked next-to-last in the league. Ten of Akers' 13 misses came last season came from outside of 40-yards. The 49ers released him in early March and replaced with former Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson.

It was a surprising form reversal for Akers, who in 2011 made an NFL record 44 field goals and scored 166 points for San Francisco, the fourth-highest point total in league history.

Akers' overall track record is solid, finishing in the top 10 in field goal percentage four times in his career and has hit at least 82 percent of his field goals in nine of the last 13 seasons — all while playing his home games outdoors for the 49ers and Eagles.

With the the Lions, Akers will get the benefit of kicking in climate-controlled indoor settings for home games at Detroit's Ford Field, something he hasn't had the luxury of with Washington, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

Kicker David Akers to Join Detroit Lions - NFL 2013