The NFL Draft is over. Now, rookies look to make homes with their new teams and begin their professional career.
Patience is thin at the NFL level. Rookies don’t have forever to prove their worth in the league.
If guys start to fade to the background, they can fall out of the league in a hurry.
That’s why it’s so important for some guys to step right in and make an instant impact.
For the Cleveland Browns, their window to win is open now.
The new draft selections that will be worth the most to Cleveland are the ones who can contribute right away.
With that in mind, who of the new members of the brown and orange will quickly find the field on gameday?
Cade York, Cade York
One answer might be obvious here.
That’s newly drafted kicker Cade York out of LSU.
Anytime a team drafts a kicker you better believe it’s for a reason.
Calling Cleveland’s kicking game a “struggle” in recent years is highly generous.
Cleveland ranked dead last in 2021 with .9 field goals made per game according to teamrankings.com.
They were the only team to make fewer than one field goal per game last season.
Enter York, the Browns’ 124th overall selection from the fourth-round.
After being drafted, he stands as the lone kicker on the depth chart.
From the sounds of it, that will be the case throughout training camp.
After drafting #LSU K Cade York, the #Browns have released kickers Chase McLaughlin and Chris Blewitt.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 2, 2022
#Browns HC Kevin Stefanski says K Cade York will not have competition in training camp.
(H/T @ESPNCleveland)
— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) May 3, 2022
In York’s three seasons as a Tiger, he made 54 of his 66 field goal attempts while going 164 for 168 on extra points.
That’s good for a made field goal percentage of 81.1% for his collegiate career.
He has a strong leg with his longest made field goal at LSU sailing in from 57 yards away.
In attempts from 50 or more yards away, York made 15 out of 19 of those as a Tiger.
A long-term answer to the kicker position continues to be sought after in Cleveland since the departure of Phil Dawson.
The Browns tried the draft route three years ago with Austin Seibert out of Oklahoma.
That, as all know now, didn’t pan out.
The team seems confident this will work out better though.
So, expect York to be an immediate contributor on day one.
The Perrion Winfrey Show
It took all of five minutes for Browns fans to fall in love with Perrion Winfrey.
The defensive tackle out of Oklahoma is full of energy and excitement to play in Cleveland as he shared on Instagram following his draft selection.
Perrion Winfrey on IG Live: pic.twitter.com/Q8WfVt9A4c
— CB Highlights (@CBHighlightsYT) April 30, 2022
Only, the fun didn’t stop there. In his introductory “press conference”, he talked about what he can bring to Cleveland.
He emphasizes having a “dawg mentality” and “coming in to kill right away” with the likes of Myles Garrett alongside him.
Found it!!! Perrion Winfrey putting the NFL on NOTICE. #WreckThisLeague
(No idea where he’s heading in this video, but he’s going there with BAD intentions. 🔥🔥🔥) pic.twitter.com/xIpiZRNPfv
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 30, 2022
“I was born into being a dawg”, Winfrey later explained in the press conference. “Because my parents were already dawgs when I was conceived”.
It’s hard to ignore that infectious energy.
Watching the whole press conference, it’s clear this guy wakes up with a purpose every single day.
What’s also hard to ignore, however, is the lack of starting experience on the interior of Cleveland’s defensive front.
Winfrey logged five and a half sacks last season in addition to 11 tackles for loss as a Sooner.
He also received honors for being MVP of the Senior Bowl.
Winfrey is riding a momentum wave right now, one that could thrust him into a starting position come Week One.
NEXT: 3 Biggest Needs For Browns After The Draft
