The Cleveland Browns are set to welcome back their primary kicker, Dustin Hopkins, for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Hopkins will return to his starting role after missing the Chiefs game, where Riley Patterson filled in but didn’t attempt any field goals.
Hopkins has been dealing with some accuracy issues recently, leading to several missed kicks. However, after a week of focused practice, he addressed a mechanical flaw that had caused his kicks to drift wide left. The adjustment seems to have paid off, as Hopkins has been flawless in practice, putting behind the overcorrection problems from the Pittsburgh game.
NFL analyst Bruce Drennan raised concerns on his podcast, citing a troubling statistic about Hopkins. The Browns (3-11) are now gearing up for their Week 16 matchup with the Bengals (6-8), which is a rematch from their October meeting.
That game, which ended in a 21-14 Bengals win, marked a critical turning point in Cleveland’s season, as it was when Deshaun Watson suffered his season-ending Achilles injury. Since then, the Browns have only secured two victories.
