Dustin Hopkins: Everything you need to know

The Browns released Hopkins on Tuesday, Kelsey Russo of the team's official site reports. Hopkins logged the worst season of his NFL career with Cleveland in 2024, converting just 18 of 27 field-goal attempts (67 percent) and 17 of 20 extra-point tries across 16 regular-season appearances. The team will instead opt to move forward with Andre Szmyt and potentially add further competition at the kicker spot. Hopkins will now search for an opportunity elsewhere in the league as he enters his age-35 season.

Hopkins converted a 28-yard field goal and missed one of two extra-point kicks in Saturday's 19-17 preseason win over the Rams. Hopkins, who was on shaky ground following his performance in 2024, may have left enough doubt in the mind of decision makers when he was wide left on an XPA. Organizational confidence was already low on Hopkins, who watched his competitor for the job, Andre Szmyt, convert a game-winning kick from 37 yards out with no time left on the clock. The projection for an initial 53-man roster from Zac Jackson of The Athletic gives the edge to Szmyt, although it should be noted he's never kicked in a regular season NFL game.

Hopkins converted his lone field-goal attempt in Saturday's preseason win over the Eagles. Hopkins booted a 46-yarder in the second quarter and has made both of his FGAs in the first two preseason games. He's also made 2-of-3 extra-point kicks, although the miss came on a bad snap. Hopkins is looking to rebound from a down year in 2024, when he made just 67 percent of his field-goal attempts and 85 percent of extra-point tries. That performance prompted the Browns to bring in Andre Szmyt, who converted two field goals and an extra point Saturday, to push Hopkins during training camp.