CLEVELAND — The Kansas City Chiefs have welcomed back their regular kicker just in time for their upcoming game, while the Cleveland Browns have made a significant change at the kicker position.
Harrison Butker is set to resume kicking duties for the Chiefs this Sunday after recovering from knee surgery that sidelined him for four games. In contrast, the Browns have decided to bench their struggling kicker, Dustin Hopkins, for at least the current week.
The Chiefs activated Butker from the injured list the day before the game and subsequently waived Matthew Wright, who had filled in during Butker’s absence. Wright performed admirably, successfully converting eight out of nine kicks, which included a dramatic 31-yard game-winning field goal that clanged off the left upright to secure a victory against the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday.
Cleveland faces further challenges as tight end David Njoku will miss the game due to a hamstring injury, having not practiced all week. Njoku leads the Browns with five receiving touchdowns this season. Also, left guard Joel Bitonio will take the field despite missing two days of practice due to a back issue.
On the Chiefs’ side, starting left tackle D.J. Humphries will not play due to his own hamstring injury.
Butker, regarded as one of the league’s most reliable kickers throughout his eight seasons with the Super Bowl champions, had an impressive record prior to his surgery, making 18 out of 20 field goals and converting 21 of 22 extra points.
Meanwhile, Hopkins has struggled recently, making only three of his last nine field goal attempts in the past five games. In their last matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he failed to convert both of his attempts and is facing mounting pressure as he was recently signed to a three-year, $15.9 million extension after a standout performance that helped the Browns reach the playoffs last season, where he converted 33 of 36 field goals.
To fill the void left by Hopkins, Cleveland has brought Riley Patterson onto the practice squad. Patterson previously played for the Browns towards the end of last season when Hopkins was unable to play due to a hamstring issue, managing to complete one field goal attempt and making six of seven extra point attempts.
