© Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports
Looking Back At One Of The Browns Best Roster Additions Last Season
Kickers don't get enough love at any level of football. Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins deserves plenty of appreciation because he was clutch for the organization in 2023.
During the 2024 NFL Draft, you won't hear the announcement of many kickers being selected. There may be the occasional few, but the position does not usually get a whole lot of love.
I could also be considered a guilty party due to the fact that every year I exclude kickers, punters, fullbacks and long snappers from my NFL Draft big board. Despite not including these spots in my prospect evaluations, they are important for the game of football.
A reliable kicker can alter the trajectory of a season and that is exactly what Dustin Hopkins did in his first season with Cleveland in 2023.
Back in 2022, the veteran kicker missed over half of the season with the Los Angeles Chargers due to injury. This gave Cameron Dicker the opportunity to step up in Hopkins' absence. After hitting 95 percent of his field goal attempts in 2022, the Chargers opted to stick with Dicker in 2023.
This decision allowed the Cleveland Browns the opportunity to swoop in and make a steal of a trade for Hopkins. After just one season with Hopkins, a 2025 seventh-round draft pick does not nearly feel like enough for the now 33-year-old kicker.
Dec 10, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns place kicker Dustin Hopkins (7).
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Last season, Hopkins went 33-36 on his field goal attempts for the Browns and happened to be a very impressive 8-8 from distances of 50-yards or greater. Of those 33 made field goals, four were game winning field goals. If Hopkins was not such a steady leg, the season could have looked rather different for the 2023 Browns.
Some of his most notable moments last season come from the 40-yard game winning field goal in Baltimore, capping off a stunning 33-31 comeback to defeat the Ravens. Hopkins himself also deemed his performance against Indianapolis earlier in the year "The best game he's ever had" after drilling field goals from 54, 54, 48 and 58 yards en route to a thrilling 39-38 victory over the Colts.
The career season for Hopkins led to several AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors and a Browns record for most field goals made in a season, breaking the great Phil Dawson's record of 30.
Heading into 2024, Cleveland can feel confident about kicking duties with Hopkins still under contract this season. The organization did bring back Cade York as the backup kicker for the upcoming season. Perhaps some time learning from Dustin Hopkins will allow York an opportunity to add consistency and accuracy to his repertoire, while still maintaining a powerful leg.
Rest assured Cleveland fans, the Browns won't be selecting a kicker in the draft this year.
