While the Cleveland Browns offseason has been riddled with discussion around quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Baker Mayfield, they are far from the only stories around the team. While kickers rarely get attention unless they screw up, the Browns addition of P Corey Bojorquez (free agency) and K Cade York (NFL draft) are huge moves.
In 2021, Cleveland would have had a much better season had Mayfield been healthy and there wasn’t drama with Odell Beckham Jr. However, even with both of those things, the season could have ended with a playoff appearance with better kicking. Jamie Gillan’s gaffe in Week 1 and overall struggles were problematic before he was replaced but the kicker situation was even worse.
Chase McLaughlin, who kicked all but one game, only connected on 71% of his field goals including missing six of ten between 40 and 50 yards. McLaughlin also missed an extra point in 2021. Chris Naggar missed one of his two extra-point tries in the one game he kicked for the team.
Many points were left on the field, leading the team to invest a fourth-round pick to draft York.
The first two weeks of OTAs didn’t see York practice in Berea. Reports were that he spent most of his time kicking at First Energy Stadium so far to prepare himself for the winds and the weather.
The final week of OTAs gave the media a chance to see the kicker work for the first time and he was impressive. Here he bombs a 60-plus yarder:
#Browns Cade York from 60-some yards out. First time we’ve seen him kick at OTAs. pic.twitter.com/5aHFsjQ4kp
— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) June 8, 2022
Great to see a clean kick, that seems to travel well beyond the goal posts, and to see his teammates excited that it went in.
Camryn Justice compiled a few of York’s kicks for your viewing pleasure:
#Browns Cade York kicking compilation (with some team pressure at the end). pic.twitter.com/XE17AGKGOF
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) June 8, 2022
Whatever happens at quarterback will be important but having a consistent kicker is not far behind on that list. York will have to prove it game after game but it is great to see his long-distance kicking this week in OTAs.
