It appears that the Cleveland Browns have played themselves.
The Browns surprised the NFL world on Monday by releasing young kicker Cade York. Cleveland decided to make a trade for a more seasoned kicker instead, and thus York’s services were no longer needed.
Though York had a brutal preseason, his release was a bit of a stunner since the Browns just used a fourth-round pick on York last year. Drafting a kicker that high is always a divisive move. But Cleveland got a chance to rub it in everyone’s faces after York kicked a game-winning field goal against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 last season.
Rookie kicker Cade York gives Cleveland the lead from 58 yards out!
📺: #CLEvsCAR on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/4gWBg2qtZo pic.twitter.com/xOX3uRgBW4— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022
“THAT’S WHY YOU DRAFT A KICKER!!!!” the Browns giddily tweeted at the time in all caps.
THAT'S WHY YOU DRAFT A KICKER!!!!
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 11, 2022
Fast-forward less than a year later though, and York is now off the team. [JonTron voice] That one didn’t age quite so well.
Nevertheless, York is only 22 years old and was a respectable 24/32 (75.0 percent) on field goals and 35/37 (94.6 percent) on extra points last season. With his unwavering confidence in himself on top of that, York should still have a strong future in the NFL (though it won’t come with the Browns).
