Browns Add A New Kicker After Dustin Hopkins Injury
During the Cleveland Browns’ 36-22 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday, the Browns attempted and converted two of three two-point conversions.
As exciting as it was to see Cleveland display its offensive dominance, it didn’t take long for fans to wonder where kicker Dustin Hopkins was.
Hopkins converted two PATs after the Browns’ first two scores, but then he was nowhere to be seen.
It turns out that the kicker sustained a hamstring injury during the game.
That led Cleveland to sign former Detroit Lions kicker Riley Patterson to their practice squad on Monday, per Ian Rapoport on Twitter.
With Dustin Hopkins suffering an injury yesterday, the #Browns signed former #Lions K Riley Patterson to their practice squad.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 25, 2023
Patterson made 15 of his 17 field goal attempts for Detroit this year.
However, he missed PATs against the Green Bay Packers in Week 12 and the Chicago Bears in Week 14.
Despite Patterson’s 94.6 percent conversion rate for point after tries, that wasn’t good enough for Detroit, and he was released on December 19.
The franchise waived Patterson to make room for rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker.
After playing for the Memphis Tigers in college, Patterson went undrafted in 2021.
The Minnesota Vikings signed him as a free agent and released him the same year.
Patterson was also on the rosters of the New England Patriots in 2021, as well as the Lions.
In 2022, he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars before returning to the Motor City this year.
Without Hopkins on Sunday, the Browns compensated by using punter Corey Bojorquez as well as safety D’Anthony Bell for kickoffs.
The two-point conversions for Cleveland came courtesy of backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the second quarter, followed by receiver Amari Cooper in the fourth.
