Getty Images Kicker Cade York of the Cleveland Browns.
Cade York continues to struggle but the Cleveland Browns don’t plan to add another kicker to light a fire under their second-year kicker.
York has missed both of his field goal attempts in the preseason, his latest from 49 yards out in the third quarter against the Washington Commanders on Friday night. He also went wide right from 46 yards in the Hall of Fame Game last week.
Despite the misses and inconsistency, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said the team has no plans to bring in another option.
“I think Cade is working his craft like all young players do, so very confident in him,” Stefanski said when asked if the team has plans to add a kicker. “I think Cade’s going to, like every young player, going to continue to learn and grow from all these experiences, so no.”
There are some notable veteran names still available, including Mason Crosby, Ryan Succop and Robbie Gould. Bringing in another kicker is a move the Browns have to weigh carefully. If York’s struggles are mental, the Browns showing a lack of confidence in his game by bringing in competition could send him further down the wrong path.
Browns Used Fourth-Round Pick on Cade York
The Browns are invested in York, making him the 124th overall pick last season, using a fourth-round pick. It was with the hope that he could be their long-term solution at kicker. At the time, he was the highest-drafted kicker since 2016.
He showed some flashes last season — including a 58-yard game-winner in Week 1. He also showed off his big leg during his pregame routine, which was impressive but inconsequential. But he was inconsistent, converting 75 percent of his field goals (24-for-32). He also missed a pair of extra points.
York had a decorated college career at LSU, earning All-American and All-SEC honors. In his final season, York connected on 15-of-18 field goals and all 39 PATs to reach a streak of 118 consecutive PATs made — a school record. He’s yet to find that consistency at the NFL level, and at this point, it’s a little worrisome for the Browns, who need a reliable leg on their side.
Cade York Says Struggles Were Mental During Rookie Season
After being mostly a warm-weather kicker at LSU and in Texas at the high school level, there were worries about York’s ability to kick in the adverse conditions Cleveland and the AFC North as a whole can present. However, York shared this offseason that his struggles were more mental than anything else.
“I think the biggest thing I learned is that I actually focused way too much on trying to be a better kicker to deal with the weather, when, really, I was already that kicker,” York told the Browns’ official site this offseason. “I just needed to keep doing what I already had been doing.
“To be honest, the weather was never the problem. I would just focus so much on that that I would almost put too much on it, and when it came to other stuff that was simple, I would brain fart. That’s when stuff would go wrong.”
York has two more preseason games to try to turn things around and prove he can be the guy. The Browns will face the Philadelphia Eagles on August 17 in a preseason tilt on the road.