3 Free Agent Kickers the Browns Need to Sign After Hall of Fame Game

Cleveland, it appears we have a problem. After ending the 2022 campaign on a sour note, there was optimism that young kicker Cade York could turn it around in 2023. Fans are feeling burned, however, after York's performance in the Hall of Fame Game.

Kevin Stefanski called upon his hand-picked kicker on Cleveland's very first possession of the preseason. York came on and subsequently missed a 49-yard field goal attempt, giving the Dawg Poud immediate flashbacks to his disappointing 2022 season.

At the very least, York needs some competition to put the pressure on. With the market shrinking, the Browns have to act fast. Here are three free-agent kickers the team should sign before their second preseason game.

Potential Cade York Replacements for the Browns

1. Mason Crosby

After spending 16 seasons kicking in Green Bay, Mason Crosby has the experience with cold weather that makes him a perfect fit for kicking in the AFC North. Though he's approaching 39 years old, the former 2007 draft pick is showing no signs of slowing down.

Crosby handled a full plate of opportunities for the Packers last year, converting at a solid 86.2% on 29 FG attempts. His 25 makes tied his best performance since the 30 he hit in 2018, so it's clear he's still got plenty of juice left in his legs.

The veteran was incredibly efficient in the short-to-intermediate range as well. He was a perfect 10-for-10 from 20-29 yards out, 8-for-8 from 30-39 yards, and was off just once from 40-49 yards.

Three of Crosby's four misses on the year were from the 50-plus range, so maybe he's not as big of a deep threat as he once was. But if the Browns' offense improves like it should with Deshaun Watson active from the start and new weapons in town, Crosby won't even need to attempt many from long-range. Plus, his kind of dependability anywhere from 20-49 yards out is what really matters when potentially replacing a streaky kicker.