For years, few jobs were more demanding than being the Cleveland Browns' punter. Fortunately, Corey Bojorquez has been up to the task since he arrived in Cleveland, and he continues to be among the best in the business.
But other than the punter, the Browns' special teams unit often left plenty to be desired. Former coordinator Bubba Ventrone did little to fix these woes, and watching him leave for the Los Angeles Rams this offseason brought as much joy as finding a $100 bill in some old jeans.
The new-look Browns can finally trust their special teams unit. Pro Football Network ranked them No. 7 in the league with a 79.4 impact grade, and they're finally solving problems instead of creating them.
Cleveland's special teams are finally helping win games instead of losing them
Special teams play often goes underappreciated unless it's a problem. That said, watching Bojorquez punt is a work of art, and he showed it again with an 81-yard beauty against the Steelers. He's often flipping the field and trapping opposing offenses deep into their own territory. He rarely makes a mistake.
As for Andre Szmyt, he's quickly turned jeers into cheers. After missing a would-be game-winning field goal in Week 1 of the 2025 season, the Browns' second-year kicker has been nearly perfect.
This season, he's 8-for-8 on field goals and 7-for-7 on extra points, including a career-high 56-yarder to beat the Steelers. He's made 22 consecutive field goals and has become one of the most consistent kickers in the game.
The Browns have also found some juice in the return game. They're averaging 28.2 yards per kickoff return, with new special teams coordinator Byron Storer turning to a tandem of Raheim Sanders and Malachi Corley to return kicks with Dylan Sampson on injured reserve.
Explosive rookie KC Concepcion has yet to make a big play in the punt return game, but his elite speed makes him a perennial threat, and it should be just a matter of time before he finally breaks one.
Most people fixate on offense and defense when evaluating a team, but that's rarely enough. You need strong special teams play to win the field position battle and not leave points on the board. Those two issues plagued the previous regime far too often.
Special teams play might not be sexy, but winning teams take care of business in all three facets of the game. Through four games, Todd Monken's Browns are getting that job done.
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