Browns Sign K Shayne Graham

The era of Phil Dawson is over in Cleveland, and like any relationship that has come to an end, it’s time to consider the uncertain future. To their credit, the Browns are doing their best to move on, as they signed kicker Shayne Graham on Monday.

Graham, 35, is only three years younger than Dawson, and could find himself competing with the recently-signed Brandon Bogotay for the spot on the roster.

As a replacement for Dawson, the Browns could have done much worse than Graham. In 2012, with Houston, he made 31 of 38 field goal attempts (81.5%) and converted a career-high 28 touchbacks on kickoffs. He also set a Texans franchise record by scoring 138 points (also a career high). His 85.4% career success rate on field goals ranks fifth in NFL history.

Graham played eight seasons with the Bengals (2003-09), so he’s familiar with Cleveland. The veteran kicker might not be able to completely replace the aura surrounding Dawson, but he should be a worthy substitute.