Cleveland Browns Trade Backup Kicker Cade York To Future NFC Opponent

The LSU product was a 2022 fourth round pick of the Browns

Cleveland Browns place kicker Cade York (36) warms up before an NFL preseason football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cleveland Browns 2022 fourth-round pick Cade York is headed back to the NFC East.

According to multiple reports, the Browns have sent York to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick. The move comes less than a week before the NFL's official roster cutdown date next Tuesday, where it was highly unlikely the LSU product would make the roster after top kicker Dustin Hopkins inked a contract extension earlier in training camp.

Source: The Browns are trading K Cade York to the Commanders for a conditional seventh-rounder. So an early deal as trade market heats up with cutdown looming.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 22, 2024

The Browns first acquired Hopking around this time last year. After York had missed a number of kicks during the preseason general manager Andrew Berry decided they couldn't enter the regular season with York as their top place kicker. Upon Hopkins arrival via a trade with the Chargers for a 2025 seventh-round pick, York was promptly waived by the Browns.

Several days later he wound up signing with to the Titans practice squad where he spent the beginning of the 2023 campaign. Later in the season York was scooped up by the New York Giants, signing to their active roster on Nov. 3. Later that month he was waived again and reverted to New York's practice squad. He ultimately suffered a quad injury during a practice and finished the season on the injured reserve for New York.

My notes from what's technically the final day of #Browns training camp. https://t.co/Yl80Z73A5x

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) August 22, 2024

During the offseason York re-signed with the Browns as he looked for a second opportunity with the franchise that drafted him. The presence of Hopkins was always going to make it difficult for York to make the team's final roster. In his one full season with the Browns in 2022, York made 24 of his 32 field goal attempts.