CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns had one mildly surprising cut on Tuesday in their trim to the initial cut to 53. It was 12th-year kicker Dustin Hopkins, who’s problems from last season spilled over into this preseason.
It means that first-year kicker Andre Szmyt out of Syracuse is their kicker, unless they find another option out of these league-wide roster cuts on Tuesday.
During Saturday’s preseason finale against the Rams, Hopkins made an extra point and a 28-yard field goal, but with 17 seconds left in the half, he sailed a PAT wide left toward the closed end of the stadium.
Last season, he made only 18 of 27 field goal attempts (a career-worst 66.7% mark) and also missed three extra-point attempts (17 of 20).
Szmyt (6-0, 200), was originally signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2023, and spent part of the 2024 season on the Browns’ practice squad. He was also spent time with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL.
The Browns also made a number of other non-cut moves, placing linebacker Winston Reid on injured reserve as designated to return; placing Deshaun Watson (Achilles) on reserve/Physically Unable to Peform; placing receiver David Bell (undisclosed) on the reserve/Non-football injury list; and passing defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (knee) on his physical to keep him on the active roster.
Hall, their second-round pick from last year out of Ohio State, will be eligible to play as soon as he’s healthy, which might still take a couple of weeks. Hall is recovering from right knee surgery, and was seen running short sprints and pushing a sled last week off to the side during practice.
When he’s ready for starting duty, he’ll work next to No. 5 overall pick Mason Graham on the inside.
Watson, recovering from surgery to repair his retorn Achilles, will have to remain on the PUP list for at least the first four games of the season.
But he’s coming along well in his rehab, and has been dropping back with ease and throwing the ball a lot in the Browns’ fieldhouse.
After trading Kenny Pickett on Monday to the Raiders for a fifth-round pick, the Browns currently have three quarterbacks on the roster in Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
A handful of undrafted free agents made the Browns initial 53-man roster when their cuts were announced on Tuesday afternoon.
They were receiver Gage Larvadain, safety Donovan McMillan, defensive tackle Adin Huntington and linebacker Easton Macarenas-Arnold.
They also signed undrafted rookie receiver Isaiah Bond on Aug. 17, a projected third-round pick who went undrafted when he was arrested for sexual assault. The Browns jumped at the chance to sign him when the charges were dropped.
Some of the bigger names on the Browns cut list were Pro Bowl receiver Diontae Johnson and running back Pierre Strong Jr.
A handful of the players who were let go on Tuesday will be signed back to the practice squad. The Browns can add 16 to the practice squad.
The Cleveland Browns have made the following roster moves:
Passed Physical (1):
DT Mike Hall Jr.
Placed on Reserve/Injured (1):
LB Winston Reid (designated for return)
Placed on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (1):
QB Deshaun Watson
Placed on Reserve/Non-Football Injury (1):
WR David Bell
Contract terminated (5):
K Dustin Hopkins
WR Diontae Johnson
DT Sam Kamara
DE Julian Okwara
RB Trayveon Williams
Waived (9):
WR Chase Cota
WR Kaden Davis
S Christopher Edmonds
CB LaMareon James
WR Kisean Johnson
RB Ahmani Marshall
WR Cade McDonald (injury designation)
RB Pierre Strong Jr. (injury designation)
T Kilian Zierer
This post will be updated.
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