A Cleveland Browns helmet lays in the end zone before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 21, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Ravens defeat the Browns 23-21.
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
One of the many areas in which the Cleveland Browns have struggled this season is hitting field goals.
Last season, kicker Dustin Hopkins was very reliable for them when he made 91.7 percent of his field goal attempts and was eight of eight from at least 50 yards, but this season has been a much different story.
He has been successful on just 64.0 percent of his field goal tries, and in Cleveland’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, he missed both of his attempts.
Fans have been calling for Hopkins to be demoted because of his struggles, and on Tuesday, Cleveland signed kicker Riley Patterson to be a member of their practice squad, per Camryn Justice.
The #Browns have signed K Riley Patterson to the practice squad.
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) December 10, 2024
Patterson played two games for the Browns last season and made both of his field goal attempts, and he has played in just one contest this year for the New York Jets, in which he made three extra point kicks.
Hopkins’ issues making field goals have been puzzling — in nine NFL seasons prior to this one, his lowest accuracy for a whole year was 79.4 percent in 2020 while a member of the Washington Football Team.
After a couple of midseason trades in which they sent away five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper and star defensive end Za’Darius Smith, the Browns seem to be in a mode where they’re evaluating young players and trying to determine who they should move forward with.
They’re tied for the second-worst record in the NFL at 3-10, and depending on what happens over the next month, they could have a real shot at getting the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft.
NEXT: Browns Have Made A Decision About Kadarius Toney's Future