Calls Mount for Browns to Cut Kicker After Loss to Bengals
The Cleveland Browns positioned themselves to win their opener against the Bengals, but rookie kicker Andre Szmyt came up short when called upon.
Szmyt missed two very important kicks against the Bengals. He pushed an extra point wide right and also missed a chip-shot 36-yard field goal with just over two minutes left. The Browns lost 17-16.
“Oh. Szmyt. Browns going to be looking for a kicker tomorrow…” one fan said.
Another added, “Hey Browns — get rid of Andre Szmyt. We aren’t doing this (expletive) again.”
“Fair to say Andre Szmyt will not be employed by the Browns tomorrow,” a fan said.
Szmyt won the kicking job in the preseason, beating out incumbent Dustin Hopkins, who had struggled with consistency.
“I think Andre (Szmyt) did a nice job since he’s been here, took advantage of every opportunity that we gave him,” Browns special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone said earlier in the week. “And just made a decision, felt like it was the right thing to do for our team.”
Sunday marked Szmyt’s NFL debut. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears in 2023 but didn’t make the roster. He has also spent time in the UFL, where he played for the St. Louis Battlehawks. Szmyt had a strong college career at Syracuse, winning the Lou Groza Award in 2018.
But now, the Browns are searching for answers yet again at kicker moving forward. It’s a position that’s been just about as unstable for the Browns as quarterback.
Turnovers Doom Browns Against Bengals
The Browns hung with the Bengals, stringing together long, methodical drives. But two interceptions by Joe Flacco ended up dooming Cleveland. Neither was the 40-year-old QB’s fault.
The first bounced off the hands of Jerry Jeudy and was picked off by a Bengals defender. The second — on a potential game-winning drive late — was the same, but this time with Cedric Tillman being unable to haul in the ball.
Drops haunted the Browns a year ago. Cleveland led the league in drops in 2024 and had three in the fourth quarter alone against the Bengals.
Joe Flacco Gets Heavy Workload in First Start
The Browns named Flacco as their starter at the end of training camp. Cleveland had staged a four-man quarterback battle that featured Flacco and Kenny Pickett — who was since traded to the Las Vegas Raiders — as well as rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
The Browns did not shy away from giving Flacco a heavy workload in his first start. He completed 31 of 45 passes for 290 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. While he attempted a lot of passes, very few went deep down the field.
His favorite targets were a pair of rookies in tight end Harold Fannin and running back Dylan Sampson. Fannin caught seven passes for 63 yards. Sampson snagged eight receptions for 64 yards.
The Browns will look to rebound next week but it won’t be easy. They’ll face another divisional foe, heading on the road to take on Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
Yankees Demote Catcher to Minors
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The New York Yankees are making some more changes to their dugout. The Yankees are sending catcher J.C. Escarra to their AAA affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the team announced on X, the social media platform once known as Twitter.
Escarra, who made his debut this season, has played 40 games with the Yankees. In those 40 games, he had 84 at bats for a .202 batting average, .296 on-base percentage and .333 slugging percentage. He was first drafted in 2017 by the Baltimore Orioles, playing through their farm system through 2021, with the exception of the canceled 2020 season. Escarra first came to the Yankees in 2024, signing a minor-league contract after two years in the independent leagues.
Escarra played most recently in the Yankees' runaway 9-1 victory against the Minnesota Twins, filling in for utility man Ben Rice. Rice started the game as catcher, but took over for first baseman Paul Goldschmidt when he exited the game at the top of the 8th inning. Escarra only had one at bat, during which he grounded out, but notched an RBI when second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. scored.
Following that game, Goldschmidt sat out due to a low-grade knee sprain. With the veteran unavailable, the Yankees had Rice fill in at first base, with Austin Wells serving as starting catcher and Escarra ready to fill in. Now that Goldschmidt is back and healthy, the Yankees likely will put Rice back at catcher and do not need Escarra as a backup for Wells.
Catcher has been a difficult position for the Yankees lately. Earlier this season, Wells was the Pinstripes' go-to starter, with Rice often serving as designated hitter. Rice would eventually take turns with slugger Giancarlo Stanton at the position when he returned from injury. Lately though, Rice has been taking over for Wells as the Yankees' go-to catcher.
Wells hasn't been playing his best baseball since missing a couple games due to a finger injury that was thought to be indicative of blood clots. Though he got the all-clear from doctors to resume playing, he hasn't been performing well. Wells is slashing .140/ .208/ .233 in this last 15 games.
