Browns Re-Sign Key Veteran to Massive Extension

Browns fans have been waiting for contract extensions for several key starters, most notably star wide receiver Amari Cooper. As the Cleveland Browns prepare for training camp like the rest of the NFL, the status of these contract extensions was a big concern for the fanbase.

Fortunately, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Monday that the Browns reached an agreement with kicker Dustin Hopkins on a three-year, $15.9 million deal.

It's not the Amari Cooper extension the Dawg Pound has been waiting for but inking one of the best kickers in the league to a multi-year deal is good business.

Cleveland Browns Re-Sign Dustin Hopkins to Three-Year Contract Extension

Hopkins was entering the final year of his deal, paying him $2.8 million for the 2024 season. This new deal keeps him under contract for three additional seasons for an annual average salary of $5.3 million.

The near-doubling of salary is not only fully deserved by Hopkins, but it is also a great story. The 33-year-old was cut by the Bills, Saints, and the Commanders in the early stages of his career. After signing a three-year extension with the Chargers in 2022, he lost his starting job and only appeared in five games. He was traded to the Browns right before the start of the 2023 season in exchange for a seventh-round pick to replace the struggling Cade York.

In Cleveland, Hopkins had the best season of his career, converting 33 of 36 field goal attempts and putting together impressive clutch performances. He went 8/8 in field goals over 50 yards and became the first NFL kicker ever to have a 50+ yards field goal in five consecutive games.

This contract makes Hopkins the fifth-highest-paid kicker in the NFL, only behind Justin Tucker, Jake Elliott, Matt Gay, and Graham Gano.

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