Browns Reuniting With 2022 Fourth-Round Pick, Cade York

Cade York is back with the Browns after Cleveland parted ways with the young place kicker at the end of training camp in 2023, following a tumultuous rookie campaign.

Sometimes a break-up can be healthy. That's what the Browns are hoping at least.

According to multiple reports on Saturday, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com who shared the news first, the Browns are bringing back kicker and 2022 fourth-round pick Cade York. The move comes about six months after Cleveland opted to release York at the end of training camp last August. Just days prior the Browns had acquired current kicker Dustin Hopkins in a trade with the Chargers for a seventh round pick in 2025.

Following his release, the LSU product signed onto the Titans practice squad just two days later. He remained with Tennessee until early Novmeber when the Giants plucked him off the practice squad and signed him to their active roster. Later that month he was waived by New York and but rejoined the organization via the practice squad. In late December, the 23-year-old suffered a quad injury at practice that forced him to the team's injured reserve and ended his season.

Dec 17, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns place kicker Cade York (3) reacts after missing

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

York never actually attempted a kick for New York during the 2023 campaign. His rookie season with the Browns got off to a hot start in 2022 as he went four-for-four in a Week 1 win over the Panthers that included a game-winning 58-yard attempt with eight seconds to play. The performance had Browns fans believing the franchise had finally found a reliable kicker for the first time since Phil Dawson donned the brown and orange from 1999-2012.

Things went south from that point on for York though as he went on to make just 75-percent of his field goals on the year (24-of-34) and also missed two of his 37 extra point attempts.

While the Browns stuck by York last offseason and opened up camp listing him as the top kicker on the roster, his inconsistencies continued throughout the preseason, forcing general manager Andrew Berry to swing a deal for Hopkins. The move paid off in spades as Hopkins posted a career year in Cleveland, nailing 33-of-36 field goal attempts. The 10-year veteran was also a perfect eight-for-eight from 50-plus yards, converting a career-long 58-yard field goal as well.

Berry and the Browns were reluctant to move on from York so soon after drafting him last summer. While his presence is not expected to threaten Hopkins, who enters the final year of his deal firmly as the team's top place kicker. However, York will have a chance to revive his career with the franchise that first drafted him throughout the spring and summer months.