The Cleveland Browns will have a new kicker in 2025.
They cut veteran Dustin Hopkins on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Right now, that leaves former Syracuse star Andre Szmyt as the only kicker on the roster, although there could always be another move to come. Szmyt has never kicked in an NFL regular season game.
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Why did the Browns cut kicker Dustin Hopkins?
Dustin Hopkins is a 34-year old kicker with 10 seasons of NFL experience, but he was brutal in 2024.
He made just 66.7% of his kicks (18-27) and 85% of his extra points (17-20) across 16 games last season.
In the Browns’ preseason finale, Hopkins missed an extra point.
In that same game, Szmyt kicked a game winner.
“There can’t be any organizational confidence in Hopkins right now, so the Browns probably have to move on,” The Athletic’s Zac Jackson wrote after the game. “… About $1.25 million of Hopkins’ 2025 salary is guaranteed, but that can’t cloud the team’s thinking.”
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Szmyt has a great pedigree for a guy who has never kicked in an NFL game that counts. He won the Lou Groza Award out of nowhere as a freshman at Syracuse, and he remained solid the rest of his college career with the Orange. He has since kicked in multiple secondary pro football leagues.
The Browns could always sign a kicker who gets cut from elsewhere in the days ahead, but for now, Szmyt has beat out Hopkins.
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