Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from more Browns roster moves …
New Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins has kicked in Cleveland Browns Stadium one time in nine years.
On September 27, 2020, Hopkins, then with Washington, did not attempt a field goal and was 2 of 3 in PATs in a 34-20 Washington loss.
Hopkins spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. When they beat the Browns, 30-28, in Cleveland on October 9, Hopkins was inactive with a groin injury.
Yet with little game experience in his new home, Hopkins knows of the challenges ahead.
“Obviously, this is a notorious place to kick. It’s a tough place to do this job,” he said.
How does he know that?
“Everyone knows about Cleveland,” Hopkins said.
He continued: “You have a handful of places in the league that are notorious, and Cleveland is one of them. I’d say Buffalo’s up there, maybe Chicago. I’m sure there are some places I’m missing, but there’s a handful of places that … you know, they’re on the lake, you’re up north, you’re in a tough division. There’s nothing blocking the wind coming off the lake. It’s just sweeping in there.”
It so happens that coach Kevin Stefanski previously scheduled Thursday’s practice in the stadium. So Hopkins will get in at least some practice kicks there prior to the season-opener against Cincinnati. He and the placement team will revisit the stadium again before September 10.
“I’m excited, actually, just getting the opportunity to practice there tomorrow,” Hopkins said. “And even though I’ve played there before, the more you can get practice in a stadium and learn kind of -- I don’t know, the ins and outs of what wind typically does in there when it seems like it’s going to move the ball and it doesn’t. When it doesn’t seem like it’s going to move the ball and it does. So, I’ve got a lot to learn in that stadium, but I’m up for the challenge.”
Dustin Hopkins has never attempted a field goal in Cleveland Browns Stadium in nine NFL seasons. He played in one game in Cleveland and was 2 of 3 in PATs. (TheLandOnDemand)
Hopkins’ injury history is something to watch. He missed a week of camp this year after injuring a rib while kicking. Last year, he was put on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in Game 5. Prior to that, he had the groin injury, too.
“It’s like all these injuries, it’s usually not this bad. Last year [I] had a little rough patch,” he said.
Glen Cook, Browns VP and assistant GM, said, “We did our due diligence there, and we feel good that he’ll be ready for Week One.”
Hopkins turns 33 on October 1. He also missed eight games in 2017 with a hip injury.
Acknowledging the need for a backup kicker, the Browns sought to re-sign defrocked starter Cade York to their practice squad, but York snubbed them to join the Tennessee practice squad – a sign that the young kicker was blind-sided by the Browns’ release and upset with it.
The Browns then signed kicker Lucas Havrisik – a total unknown -- to their practice squad. Havrisik, 23, holds the record with a 57-yard field goal at the University of Arizona. He was in the Indianapolis Colts’ camp this summer.
Cook indicated the search for another kicker could continue.
"I think we’re going to continue to just look at all the positions,” he said. “He’s one that we kind of noticed as someone we wanted to see and take a look at. So we’ll continue to just look at the last game.”
For the record, Cook would not say whether the Browns made a trade offer for Nick Folk, who was traded from New England to Tennessee for the same compensation the Browns gave up for Hopkins (seventh round pick in 2025).
“I wouldn’t speak specifically to any names, but we definitely were canvassing the landscape,” Cook said.
A new quarterback
The Browns’ quarterback room has been turned upside down from a year ago.
2022: Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett, Joshua Dobbs, Kellen Mond.
2023: Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and now … P.J. Walker.
Walker, 28, was signed to the practice squad – not Mond, as anticipated.
Originally an undrafted free agent of the Colts, Walker played in the XFL before rejoining Matt Rhule, his coach at Temple, with Carolina in 2020. In three seasons with the Panthers, Walker made seven starts and won four of them. In 15 game appearances, Walker completed 57.5 percent of passes with 5 TD v. 11 interceptions. His career passer rating is 63.9.
“[We] just felt like adding P.J. Walker to that room was a good fit,” coach Kevin Stefanski said.
A new cornerback
Only 24 players waived at the 53 roster cuts were claimed by NFL teams. The Browns were awarded cornerback Kahlef Hailassie via waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs.Hailassie was an undrafted free agent from Western Kentucky. He transferred from Oregon after two season.
Hailassie, 6-0 ½ and 191 pounds, played 29 snaps in the preseason finale against the Browns and was credited with three tackles and one pass defensed.
To make room for him on the regular roster, the Browns waived cornerback A.J. Green. They hope to re-sign Green to the practice squad on Thursday.
“He almost had an interception against us, and he played well,” Cook said. “It’s really just, again, you’re always trying to make sure the roster is as robust as possible, and A.J. , in terms of special teams, coming in as a [college free agent] himself, did a lot of good things for this team and this organization throughout the couple years. But we just, thought Kahlef is a really talented guy, and we kind of loved his prospect and bringing him in and hopefully him contributing at some point.”
More moves
The Browns filled their practice squad with 12 of their own released players and three new ones.
Brought back were: cornerback Lorenzo Burns, receiver Jaelon Darden, guard Michael Dunn, running back Hassan Hall, defensive tackle Trysten Hill, defensive end Sam Kamara, safety Tanner McCalister, tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden, defensive end Lonnie Phelps, linebacker Charlie Thomas, defensive end Isaiah Thomas, and receiver Austin Watkins.
The three new players signed to the practice squad were: Walker, Havriski, and former Raiders first-round pick Alex Leatherwood, an offensive tackle.
Brownie bits
Watson and receiver Elijah Moore returned to practice after missing one day due to illness …
Cornerback Denzel Ward remains in concussion protocol ...In a vote among media, Thompson-Robinson won the Maurice Bassett Award given to the outstanding rookie in training camp.
