The Cleveland Browns have experienced problems in the past with finding franchise players at certain positions. Most notably, the quarterback spot has been a struggle for the Browns for many years.
Quarterback remains an issue for Cleveland heading into the 2026 season, but they might’ve solved a problem in another department. Insider Terry Pluto believes the Browns might have finally found some stability at the kicker position.
“Andre Szmyt. The second-year kicker converted on field goals of 35, 47, and 23 yards. In the preseason, he is perfect on four field goal attempts and six extra points. Never take good kicking for granted. The Browns are still looking for a kicker who can put together two consecutive good seasons since the Phil Dawson ERA ended in 2012,” Pluto wrote.
Szmyt experienced a rough NFL debut with the Browns last season. Since then, Szmyt has been one of the more reliable kickers in the game. He finished last season connecting on 24-of-27 field goals and 25-of-26 extra point attempts. He quietly put together an extremely solid year for the Browns, especially as a rookie.
The Browns have gone through a handful of kickers throughout the years. They used a fourth-round pick on Cade York in 2022. He was inconsistent during his rookie season and was waived ahead of the beginning of the 2023 season. Dustin Hopkins came in afterwards and posted a stellar 2023 season. That performance earned him a contract extension, but his struggles eventually led to his release in 2025.
The hope is that the Browns’ search for a long-term kicker is over with Szmyt in town.
Browns fans were spoiled when they had the gold standard with Dawson for so many years. He held down the kicking position for 14 years in Cleveland. Szmyt has big shoes to fill, and no one expects him to be as great as Dawson. The Browns just want to have a reliable kicker that they can count on every Sunday.
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