Should Rams sign highly-drafted kicker released by Browns?

The Cleveland Browns are releasing kicker Cade York just a year after picking him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, which gives the L.A. Rams another option to consider after rookie Tanner Brown had another tough game on Saturday night. Should the Rams sign Cade York to replace Tanner Brown?

As I wrote a month ago, Brown might have been the only kicker on the 90-man roster but he was hardly the only one who Sean McVay would be considering for the 2023 season. It’s just that kickers are always competing against each other, even those who are on other teams; there are at least 16 teams in training camp that had multiple kickers on the roster, so that means half the league was going to release someone.

Because Tanner Brown struggled in the preseason, missing two field goal tries inside of 40 yards, the Rams have to consider which players hit the market this week and that now includes York.

A fourth round pick out of LSU in 2022, York has a strong leg but doesn’t know yet how to direct his kicks through the goal posts. He went 24-of-32 on field goal tries as a rookie, missing three in the 30-39 range, two in the 40-49 range, and three in the 50+ range. He also went 35-of-37 on extra points.

The Rams have had two kickers on the roster so far this year, but it took them five kickers in 2020 until finally landing on Matt Gay, another former draft pick who didn’t work with his original team (the Bucs) but then found his groove with L.A.. Should the Rams try to go that route again?

The Browns traded for Dustin Hopkins to replace York, which implies that so far they haven’t found any trade partner for York, which isn’t a good sign for how the league values him despite his draft status. Still, a trade could still happen before Tuesday now that teams know he’s available.