The Browns add K. Riley Patterson with the practice squad because Dustin Hopkins is hurt.
During Sunday’s win at Houston, Dustin Hopkins hurt his leg. Riley Patterson got a spot in the Cleveland practice squad on Monday because of that.
Patterson has played for the Vikings, New England, Detroit, Jacksonville, and Detroit again since he was signed as a free agent without being drafted by the Vikings in 2021.
After Hopkins got hurt, the Browns tried to convert six fourth-downs and went for both after every score.
Patterson was let go by the Lions on December 19. In 13 games, he made 15 out of 17 field goals. He was kicked off the NFC North winners because he missed two extra points.
Late last season, Riley Patterson kicked for the Detroit Lions. On Monday, he was signed to the Browns’ practice squad.
If Hopkins gets better, Riley Patterson might be added to the gameday list for Thursday night’s homecoming game towards the New York Jets.
Hopkins hurt his hamstring while trying to make a tackle upon Dameon Pierce’s 98-yard kickoff run for a score in the Steelers’ 36-22 win at Houston on Sunday.
After Hopkins got hurt, the Browns didn’t try a PAT or field goal. Instead, punter Corey Bojorquez and defensive back D’Anthony Bell took over kickoffs.
This is Patterson’s second time with the Lions in three years. He kicked for them in their first 13 games of the season.
Patterson made 15 out of 17 attempted field goals and 35 out of 37 extra points for Detroit before Week 15, when Michael Badgley took over.
After 37 regular-season games, the 24-year-old from the University of Memphis is 58 of 66 on field goals and 87 of 90 on PATs.
In 2021 and 2022, he played seven games for Detroit and thirteen games this season. In 2022, he played all 16 games for Jacksonville, including the playoffs.
Last season, Patterson made all three field goals and all four PATs in two playoff games for the Jaguars. All season, he made 28 out of 31 field goals along with 51 out of 53 PATs for Jacksonville.
Instead of practicing on Monday, the Browns met with other teams. They will be available to the media on Tuesday, which is the only time they will be available before the Jets game.
With Thursday’s game coming up, the Browns had to put out an illness report on Monday even though they didn’t have practice.
One of the names that stood out on the report was Bojorquez, who failed to return the Browns’ final kickoff with 12:31 left in Sunday’s game.The story said that Bojorquez hurt his left quad.
He was one in six players the team thought would not have practiced because they were hurt if they had trained.
Running back Kareem Hunt (groin), center Dorian Thompson-Robinson (hip), defender Anthony Walker Jr. (knee), and defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (pec) were the other players hurt. David Njoku and Amari Cooper, both wide outs, would have had days off.
The Browns added Riley Patterson, a former kicker for the Lions, to their practice squad. This comes a day after Dustin Hopkins, another kicker, left their game in Houston because of a leg injury.
Because they have a short week, the Browns have practice on Christmas. The Browns are 10-5 and have won three straight games.
If they beat the Jets Thursday night, they’ll be guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, but they have to get ready to play without Hopkins, who has 33 made field goals, which is a new club record for a single season.
Hopkins hurt himself in the second quarter while chasing Texans running back Dameon Pierce on a 98-yard kickoff return score.
After that, the Browns didn’t try a field point or PAT kick again. Instead, safety D’Anthony Bell took over kickoffs in the second half.
Kevin Stefanski, the Browns’ coach, said after the game that Hopkins would get an MRI on Monday, but the results have not been made public.
The punter, Corey Bojorquez, hurt his calf and was marked as DNP on today’s illness report. Stefanski will be available to the public again on Tuesday.