Cleveland raised eyebrows around the league when it fired Browns special teams coach Mike Preifer six weeks into the offseason. Preifer was considered a confidant of Head Coach Kevin Stefanski, and coaches aren’t usually let go that late into the NFL offseason cycle.
Preifer was replaced as Browns special teams coach by Bubba Ventrone, late of the Indianapolis Colts. Ventrone had no previous ties to Stefanski, yet he did with the Browns ownership. This caused many to wonder if this move was ownership interference and whether Ventrone might be auditioning for a future head coaching gig with the team.
However, the statistics did speak for themselves. In three seasons with the team, Priefer’s special teams units were… fine. Pedestrian. Ventrone’s units, on the other hand, were known to be more aggressive and often delivered better results. For a team with a rapidly closing championship window, any little bit of improvement helps.
Evaluating the Browns Special Teams
The Cleveland Browns showed a great deal more swagger in 2023. Even when they weren’t playing well, the Browns always seemed confident, as if they always expected to win the game. Much of the credit of his came from new defensive boss Jim Schwartz, who preaches swagger, telling his players to celebrate every good play. But as often as not, this tone does come from the special teams as well. On balance, there’s no greater single swing play than one delivered by the special teams.
The 2023 Browns special teams were, to make the terrible pun, just a little bit more special than the 2022 edition. Cleveland finished 11th overall in Rich Gosselin’s overall special teams rankings, up seven from the year before. The return game was decent, if unspectacular. WR/KR Jakeem Grant went out with a massive injury for the second consecutive season and has yet to take a regular-season kick for the Browns. In his stead, Cleveland once again used a steady diet of backup running backs and receivers, ultimately settling on midseason acquisition James Proche.
Browns Special Teams MVP: Kicker Dustin Hopkins
To think of how close the Browns came to stubbornly allowing 2022 fourth-round pick Cade York to go into the season gives every Cleveland fan PTSD. York, who looked so great for half a season in 2022, was a shadow of himself by August 2023. He only made half his field goals in the preseason. Those that did go through the uprights often did barely and wobbly. To say York had a case of the yips would be a massive understatement.
Then the Browns special teams made its biggest addition in years. York was jettisoned. Cleveland brought in kicker Dustin Hopkins in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers. Hopkins was a revelation. His kicks were nearly automatic. Those he did miss did not have any real, lasting impact on the game. He made 33 of 36 field goals, including all eight from past the 50. Unfortunately, the hamstring which caused Hopkins to miss most of 2022 and cost him his spot in Los Angeles, reasserted itself late in December. That means that Hopkins’ season ended with the same hamstring for two consecutive years. For a player in his early 30s, that’s a pretty big red flag.
Browns Special Teams Revelation: Punter Corey Bojorquez
As the injuries continued to mount to the Browns offense, punter Corey Bojorquez got a lot more work. A team that started five different quarterbacks in a year might be forgiven for punting the ball almost 30 more times. But Bojorquez’s booming punts often put the Browns defense in good position. His nearly 50 yard per punt average ranks near the top of the league. Bojorquez was also top five in punts inside the opposing team’s 20, even though he missed one game due to injury.
What’s Next for the Browns Special Teams
Bojorquez is an unrestricted free agent in 2024. Though his leg booms the balls well, the Browns special teams should take a look around before resigning him. The team prefers to use its punter as its holder, and Bojorquez’s holds haven’t always been the best. In 2020, for instance, Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby had his worst statistical year with Bojorquez holding for him. That said, if the Browns can find another holder – like the traditional backup quarterback for example – Bojorquez is almost a no-brainer resign.
Unlike Bojorquez, Hopkins is signed through 2024. He carries a $2.875 million contract with a $168,000 roster bonus. His dead money would be roughly equal to his earnings, making it silly to cut him, even if the dead money was spread over two years. That said, the hamstring issue can not be ignored. The Browns would be well advised to follow the same playbook the Chargers did last year: Bring in a young kicker to compete with him. If nothing else, a young leg will help keep Hopkins fresh for the games that matter.
For the returns, the Browns special teams seem to know that they need to do better than Proche. It seems unlikely that Grant will rally back from two preseason season-ending injuries to make any lasting impact. Fortunately, beyond truly special returners like Brian Mitchell or Josh Cribbs, the NFL doesn’t place significant value on returners. The cash-strapped Browns should have no trouble upgrading the position in free agency.
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Main Photo Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
