There is more competition at placekicker coming in Cleveland. The Browns claimed kicker Chase McLaughlin off waivers from the New York Jets, per the NFL’s transaction wire.
McLaughlin joins incumbent Cody Parkey and Matthew McCrane on the Browns roster at kicker, though McCrane is vulnerable to be waived off the 90-man roster to make room for McLaughlin.
Parkey fared well in his second stint in Cleveland in 2020, making 19 of his 22 field goal attempts and 43 of 47 extra points. He also had an above-average rate of 55 percent touchbacks on his kickoffs. Parkey was perfect in the two postseason games.
McLaughlin is well-traveled. The Browns are his eighth team since he entered the league in 2019, mostly on practice squads over the last year. He’s made 22 of his 28 career field goal attempts, including four of five for the Jaguars in 2020. He was originally an undrafted free agent out of Illinois.