Former Rams Kicker Signs With AFC Contender

Ricardo Klein | Aug 23, 2024

Nov 26, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams kicker Lucas Havrisik (8) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Former Los Angeles Rams kicker Lucas Havrisik has signed with a new team weeks before the start of the 2024 season.

The Cleveland Browns signed Havrisik ahead of their final preseason game this summer. The team announced on Friday.

We've signed K Lucas Havrisik

📰 » https://t.co/BB96mlZPmB pic.twitter.com/ygKaPsYXzl

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 23, 2024

This move comes after the Browns traded away their kicker, Cade York, to the Washington Commanders on Tuesday. They wasted no time adding Havrisik, who spent some time on the Browns practice squad in 2023.

The former Ram was 15-for-20 on field goals and 19-for-22 on extra points in nine games for L.A. last season. Havrisik signed with the Rams in October after spending the first couple of months in the Browns practice squad, and he spent some time on their roster this offseason.

Although Cleveland signed Havrisik, the Browns still have reliable kicker Dustin Hopkins on their team, whom they signed this offseason. Because of that, the Browns will likely cut Havrisik after Tuesday's cut to 53 players; however, they will likely keep him on the practice squad.

While the numbers don't look that bad for Havrisik in his time for L.A., the Rams' special teams were at their worst ever. In 2023, the Rams rotated between three kickers: Havrisik, Brett Maher, and Mason Crosby.

Between these three kickers, none were able to secure a starting spot for the majority of the season. The kicking team was unpredictable and frustrating at best. At times, head coach Sean McVay would often have to go for it on fourth down more times than not in a makeable field goal range for NFL kickers. That was the case all season long, and that was the case in their last game of the season against the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card round.

Havrisik will enter his third NFL season from the University of Arizona. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and spent the 2022 season on the Colts' practice squad. Following his stint with the Colts, he signed with the Browns in late Aug. 2023. He ultimately signed with the Rams off the Browns practice squad after L.A. released Maher in late October.

The highlight of Havrisik's 2023 season was when he made the eventual game-winning 22-yard field goal in Week 11 over the Seattle Seahawks that propelled L.A. into their 7-1 record post-bye week.

Havrisik finished his career at Arizona, going 73-for-78 on his extra points and 34-for-53 on his field goal attempts for a 64.2 field goal percentage.

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