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Cleveland Browns: 3 Kickers to target via trade

By Randy Gurzi

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 23: Dan Bailey #5 of the Minnesota Vikings attempts an onside kick in the fourth quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 23: Dan Bailey #5 of the Minnesota Vikings attempts an onside kick in the fourth quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – OCTOBER 01: Place kicker Chase McLaughlin #43 of the Illinois Fighting Illini attempts a kick against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – OCTOBER 01: Place kicker Chase McLaughlin #43 of the Illinois Fighting Illini attempts a kick against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens was less than thrilled with his kickers after Saturday’s poor outing, which could lead to them making a trade for a more reliable option

It’s no secret that head coach Freddie Kitchens has grown frustrated with the Cleveland Browns kicking situation. Both Austin Seibert and Greg Joseph missed their attempts on Saturday and Joesph had already come into the game with a missed extra point on his 2019 preseason resume.

Cleveland saw first hand how missed kicks can ruin a game as they left two wins on the board in Week 1 and Week 2 of the 2018 season. Zane Gonzalez was released after two terrible outings and Joseph was brought in to right the ship. He performed well overall but had several hiccups which included four missed field goals.

Seibert was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft and was supposed to solidify the spot. He hasn’t done that as he has been struggling even more than Joseph so far in camp and whiffed on his solo attempt in the preseason.

More. Browns who improved status in Preseason Week 2. light

Maybe it’s time to try and solve the problem — and if they decide to do so, there are a few options out there to consider.

Outside the box option: Elliot Fry, Chase McLaughlin

One option is to wait out the current kicking battles going on around the league or for someone to release their “camp leg.” The Chicago Bears were one team engulfed in one such competition, which saw them recently release Elliot Fry.

With him now available, the Browns could bring him in and see if a change of scenery can help — or maybe if it lights a fire in either Seibert or Joseph.

As for a “camp leg,” the Buffalo Bills have seen Chase McLaughlin knock in both of his attempts as he helps keep Stephen Hauschka fresh. Once McLaughlin is let go (assuming he is released in favor of the veteran) Cleveland could come calling.

While those are surely options, the Browns may not want someone who lost a kicking challenge and they may not want to wait for someone like McLaughlin to be released. Instead, they could be proactive and go after someone via trade, and these three players make plenty of sense.

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