The Cleveland Browns have traded backup kicker Cade York to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a conditional seventh round draft selection, per Cleveland.com.
York was Cleveland's fourth-round draft pick in 2022. In his first season out of LSU, he converted 75% of his 32 field goal attempts, in addition to missing two of his 37 extra point attempts. His professional career began with a crescendo by kicking a game winner in Week 1 of the 2022 regular season, defeating former No. 1 overall selection and Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Carolina Panthers. However, a lack of consistency throughout the season led the team to acquire veteran kicker Dustin Hopkins from the Los Angeles Chargers the following offseason.
York was waived and signed to the Tennessee Titans practice squad. The New York Giants signed him off of Tennessee's practice squad during the regular season but later placed him on the injured reserve. York re-signed with Cleveland this offseason. They were likely to place him on the practice squad but knew that he would not clear waivers, so they opted to trade him and get something in return.
The LSU product went 2-for-2 on field goal attempts from 33 and 55 yards during the preseason.
Hopkins, 34, signed a three-year deal worth nearly $16 million this offseason. Last season, the veteran converted 91.7% of 36 field goal attempts last season.
Washington has veteran kicker Riley Patterson on the roster, but converted just 40% of his five field goal attempts this preseason.
The trade is the fifth in the month of August and the second featuring Cleveland. As teams look forward to roster cuts and setting their 53-man active rosters Aug. 27, more trades will transpire. York was one of the names mentioned in a story posted yesterday about positions of strength across the NFL and potential names that could be on the move.