The preseason has always been a time of excitement and enthusiasm for the upcoming year.
No matter how the previous season ended, there’s always a sense of optimism from fans that “this year” things will be different.
Although, based on team history, Cleveland Browns fans know to be cautiously optimistic in July and August.
For the past few decades, transactions made by Cleveland management in the off-season looked good on paper but have rarely panned out.
2021 was Exhibit A.
Additions made to the roster in the draft and through agency looked to be the final step in getting the Browns to the Super Bowl.
Instead, the franchise drastically underperformed and fell to 8-9 a year after going to the postseason.
Amari Cooper Cleveland Browns Training Camp pic.twitter.com/TjL6SgW3Ff
— DEE SPORTS GUY (@DSports75727469) July 29, 2022
Andrew Berry and company hope the additions of Deshaun Watson, Amari Cooper, and their recent draft picks will make 2021 look like an aberration.
The McPherson Effect
Cleveland surprised their fans, as well as national media when they selected LSU kicker Cade York in the fourth round of the draft.
Drafting kickers is universally frowned upon by NFL general managers and personnel men.
That changed when the Cincinnati Bengals reached the Super Bowl last year with rookie kicker Evan McPherson.
McPherson was selected by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2021 draft.
Despite his bona fides, most talking heads believed the Bengals reached by drafting a kicker.
Then, all McPherson did was make 28 of his 33 field goal attempts and convert all but two extra points during the regular season.
Evan McPherson made $660,000 this season as a rookie.
He's kicked 5 game-winning field goals, including:
➖ To clinch AFC North
➖ To win Divisional Round
➖ To win AFC Championship"That's why you draft a kicker." – @Bengals pic.twitter.com/R3Wc7Y5lNC
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 30, 2022
In the postseason, he made all of his kicks including the game-winner in the AFC Championship game and two more in Super Bowl LVI.
McPherson’s postseason marks set a rookie record.
In addition, he also set records for the number of 50+ yard field goals made.
Essentially, McPherson’s unprecedented success gave Cleveland the courage to address their recent kicking deficiencies.
It seems like every year the Browns trot out a new kicker who proves to disappoint.
Long-distance field goals in particular have been problematic for Cleveland kickers.
York made nearly 79% of his field goals from 50+ years at LSU.
#Browns K Cade York continues to impress, this from over 50 yards pic.twitter.com/nA0SKzvNha
— Fred Greetham (@FredGreetham9) August 1, 2022
He also connected on a 57-yard game-winner to beat the Florida Gators in 2020.
Is York for Real?
Recently, York connected on six of six kicks in practice including a long of 48 yards.
Onlookers believe that his 48-yarder would have been good from 60.
#Browns rookie kicker Cade York just went 6-for-6 facing light pressure. The finale was this 48 yarder that would have probably been good from 60. pic.twitter.com/layoBdlT3q
— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) July 30, 2022
York’s ability has made believers in his new teammates.
“It flies off his foot,” safety John Johnson III said during OTAs. “He’s just got a big leg. It could be a 30-yard kick, he’s going to hit it for 60. It flies through the uprights, accurate.”
As always, as exciting as his performance on Saturday was, fans have reason to be optimistic.
Of course, it’s much easier to look good during a late July practice with no pressure versus a cold, blustery, windy day in FirstEnergy Stadium in December with the playoffs on the line.
Fingers crossed that York’s winter leg is the same as his training camp leg.
NEXT: Browns Reporter Shuts Down National Deshaun Watson Narrative
