Cleveland Browns fans were not pleased with the performance of rookie kicker Andre Szmyt, who missed an extra point and a 36-yard field goal with 2:25 left in the fourth quarter, which would have given the Browns a two-point lead in Week 1.
Instead, the Browns ended up losing 17-16 to the Cincinnati Bengals in a game that they should have won. Based on what happened in the home opener, some thought that the Browns should bring in someone else, as there are other options available.
However, one of those potential free agent options was snatched up by the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday, who are dealing with their own kicking issues. According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the Falcons signed John Parker Romo to the practice squad.
Romo was most recently with the New England Patriots this summer, competing against rookie Andres Borregales for their starting kicker job. Even though Romo didn’t win the competition, he has regular-season experience under his belt, which includes kicking in four games for the Minnesota Vikings (11-for-12 on field goals).
Andre Szmyt Needs Rebound Performance in Week 2 After Week 1 Mishap
Romo would’ve been the perfect guy to compete against Szmyt, whose performance reminded fans of Dustin Hopkins last year or Cade York from a few years ago.
Both guys had good moments, but those bad moments cost them their jobs. And the same thing could happen to Szmyt if he has another clunker. That said, the fact that the Browns didn’t bring in kickers for a tryout to start this week shows that they have faith in the rookie.
After the game last week, Szmyt quickly knew what went wrong with his kicks, and Browns fans hope that he will fix it immediately.
The Browns will be facing a tough Baltimore Ravens team on Sunday, where points could be a premium for Cleveland’s offense. Therefore, the rookie will possibly have a few chances to put points on the board.
If Szmyt has another missed field goal or extra point, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Browns made a call to bring in Greg Joseph, Anders Carlson, or Jake Moody, who was waived by the San Francisco 49ers. All three kickers have NFL experience and would be considered an upgrade over Szmyt.