The Cleveland Browns are in the midst of an assessment, and not voluntarily. Postseason hopes were dashed at 3-12, and the front management turned its attention from December victories to roster selections. As they faced another poor season that was supposed to be a turning point, Kevin Stefanski’s team has been rearranging its lineup. A single area of concern? Special teams. This season, veteran kicker Dustin Hopkins only made 64% of his field goals. 9 out of 25 attempts were missed, which was the poorest percentage in his NFL career. Cleveland had few options after losing Riley Patterson to the Atlanta Falcons after they cut him from the practice squad.
To fill that gap, Kevin Stefanski looked to an emerging trend across the NFL: spring league kickers. Here comes Syracuse’s all-time top scorer and UFL star, Andre Szmyt. After leading the UFL in points with the St. Louis Battlehawks the previous season, Szmyt was signed by the Browns last season. However, he is already leaving as swiftly as he arrived.
On Wednesday, the Browns announced that they have waved goodbye to kicker Andre Szmyt. And signed wide receiver Jaelen Gill in a corresponding roster move. The team posted the update on X: “We’ve signed WR Jaelen Gill and waived K Andre Szmyt.” Gill, a Fresno State graduate who stands 6 feet tall and weighs 185 pounds, is officially in the NFL season 2025. He was originally signed by the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2024 before joining the Browns’ practice squad for five weeks last season. Gill’s college journey is one for the books — starting at Ohio State, transferring to Boston College, and finishing at Fresno State, where he emerged as a reliable target.
We’ve signed WR Jaelen Gill and waived K Andre Szmyt
» https://t.co/Qxo4JQD5aU pic.twitter.com/1c8JmAwp3F
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 4, 2025
As Stefanski prepares for a busy offseason of roster reorganizations, the Browns are obviously interested in his progress and are giving him a chance to make the starting lineup. Whereas Szmyt made 19-of-21 field goals, including four from beyond 50 yards, and even drilled a 61-yarder – something most active NFL kickers can’t claim. His resume was built for a shot, and Cleveland gave him that.
But Szmyt’s release highlights a more serious problem. Even as spring league standouts like Brandon Aubrey (Dallas Cowboys), Jake Bates (Detroit Lions), and Parker Romo (Patriots) thrive in the NFL, Szmyt was unable to stay in Cleveland. The Browns haven’t had a reliable kicker since Phil Dawson left town. The league’s trend of giving spring kickers a chance remains valid — just not in Ohio, not yet. But while Kevin Stefanski’s front office was tweaking the bottom of the roster, all eyes at practice were on one player: Shedeur Sanders.
Kevin Stefanski watches closely as Shedeur Sanders struggles to impress
Since joining the NFL conversation, the well-known quarterback from Colorado and the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has been the center of attention. The Browns welcomed him into camp to evaluate how his skills develop. Today’s response? Not very good.
During Wednesday’s session, Shedeur was picked off after a tipped pass that turned into a defensive highlight. In what swiftly became the day’s most viral moment, cornerback Nik Needham, a recent addition to Cleveland’s secondary, caught the deflection and ran towards the touchdown zone. The video was shared on X by Orange and Brown Report’s Fred Greetham. “#Browns Shedeur Sanders intercepted on tipped ball by Nick Needham.”
In the video, Shedeur hesitates and then throws a little too high, which is tipped at the line and lands exactly in Needham’s hands. It was the kind of mistake that NFL evaluators, especially someone as detail-oriented as Kevin Stefanski, won’t soon forget. To his credit, Needham has an NFL pedigree. In April, the Browns acquired the former Miami Dolphins cornerback. It brought in experience to a group that already included Greg Newsome II and Denzel Ward. He has made 27 starts in his 63 career appearances. Wednesday’s play was just another example of his instincts. But it was also a reminder that Shedeur still has a long road ahead.
There have been times when Sanders has hesitated. Struggled to make sense of the pressure. And had trouble consistently connecting with his receivers. The potential is undeniable. He was a force to be reckoned with at Colorado. But NFL windows are more constrained, and there is very little room for error. It’s safe to say that Kevin Stefanski’s assessment of Shedeur Sanders is still underway. But with each misstep in camp, the window for redemption narrows.
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