The Washington Commanders have made a move to address their ongoing kicking issues by trading for kicker Cade York. This trade involved sending a conditional seventh-round pick to the Cleveland Browns, marking the third kicker the Commanders have brought in since May. The team has faced challenges in finding a reliable kicker after unexpectedly parting ways with veteran Brandon McManus earlier this year.
Cade York, a promising talent out of LSU, was selected by the Browns in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He had an impressive debut, hitting a 58-yard game-winning field goal against the Carolina Panthers.
However, his rookie season saw mixed results, as he converted 24 of 32 field goal attempts, including 9 out of 12 from 30 to 49 yards. His struggles continued into the following preseason, where he missed several key kicks, prompting the Browns to trade for veteran kicker Dustin Hopkins and release York.
After being released by Cleveland, York spent time on the practice squads of the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants during the 2023 season. Unfortunately, a quad injury cut his time with the Giants short, preventing him from attempting any kicks in regular-season games. Despite this, the Browns re-signed him in the offseason before eventually trading him to Washington.
The Commanders’ kicking woes began after they signed Brandon McManus to replace Joey Slye, who had been their kicker for over two years before departing in free agency.
McManus was released following allegations of sexual assault on a team plane while with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a situation Washington’s coach Dan Quinn claimed the team was unaware of when they signed him. This unexpected development forced the Commanders to continue their search for a dependable kicker.
In their pursuit of stability, Washington also brought in Ramiz Ahmed and veteran Riley Patterson. However, Ahmed was released in mid-August, and Patterson was cut after inconsistent performances during training camp and a preseason game against Miami. Now, with Cade York on the roster, the Commanders hope they have found the solution to their kicking challenges as they head into the new season.