Browns trade for kicker Hopkins, to waive York

BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are switching kickers less than two weeks before the season opener.

On Monday, the Browns acquired Dustin Hopkins from the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick, ending Cade York‘s tenure as Cleveland’s kicker. The Browns plan to waive York, a source told ESPN.

York, 22, was a fourth-round draft pick of the Browns in 2022. He nailed a 58-yard, game-winning field goal to defeat the Carolina Panthers in his rookie debut. But York has struggled ever since, including this preseason.

On Aug. 18 in Philadelphia, York missed two game-winning attempts, getting a second try after a penalty.

Then, in Saturday’s preseason loss in Kansas City, York had a potential game-winning field goal blocked. He also missed an extra point try.

On Sunday, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn’t commit to York remaining Cleveland’s kicker.

“I think all roster decisions and those types of things are things that we talk about internally,” Stefanski answered when asked if York would start the opener against Cincinnati.

Last year, even with the Carolina game winner, York made only 24 of 32 field goal attempts (75%) for one of the worst conversion rates of any starting kicker in the league.

Hopkins, 32, has made 84.8% of his 224 field goal attempts in his career. That included making 9 of 10 over five games for the Chargers last season. He also has converted 94.4% of his 234 point-after attempts in his career.

Hopkins had been competing with Cameron Dicker for the Chargers’ kicking job during training camp.

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