Browns Cut Kicker Dustin Hopkins; Szmyt Takes Over Position

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns made a surprising move on Tuesday, cutting kicker Dustin Hopkins as they finalized their roster to 53 players. This decision comes after a disappointing preseason for Hopkins, where he struggled to maintain consistent performance.

Hopkins, a 12-year veteran, faced issues last season that carried over into the current preseason. In the final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, he managed to make one 28-yard field goal and an extra point, but also missed a crucial PAT with just 17 seconds left in the half.

Last year, Hopkins had a career-worst field goal success rate of 66.7%, converting only 18 of 27 attempts. He also missed three extra-points, finishing the season with 17 successful tries out of 20.

With Hopkins’ release, the Browns have officially entrusted the kicking duties to Andre Szmyt, an undrafted rookie from Syracuse. Szmyt previously spent time with the Chicago Bears and was part of the Browns’ practice squad before the current season.

The Browns also made other significant roster adjustments, placing linebacker Winston Reid on injured reserve, and putting quarterback Deshaun Watson on the Physically Unable to Perform list due to his Achilles injury. Watson will remain on the PUP list for at least the first four games this season.

Mike Hall Jr., a defensive tackle recovering from knee surgery, passed his physical and will remain on the active roster. He is expected to return in a few weeks. Hall, a second-round pick from Ohio State, was seen participating in limited drills last week.

In total, the Browns waived nine players, including wide receiver Diontae Johnson and running back Pierre Strong Jr., while signing four undrafted free agents to their initial roster. This includes receiver Gage Larvadain and safety Donovan McMillan.

As the team moves forward, they may look to the league-wide cuts for additional options as the season approaches.