The kicking competition between Dustin Hopkins and Cameron Dicker has been one of the storylines to watch during OTA’s and now Chargers’ training camp. While both were kicking at similar rates on similar volumes back in June, the momentum has shifted. Dicker is now firmly in the lead to be the rostered kicker come September.
Hopkins has not kicked in a formal capacity at practice since last Thursday. As it’s currently known now, there is no injury. Special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken said in his press conference today that Hopkins has been kicking “on the side.”
Dicker has made the most of his opportunity as the main kicker. Per Chargers’ senior writer Eric Smith, the former Texas product has hit 30/34 throughout training camp:
#Chargers K Cameron Dicker has hit 30 of his 34 total field goal attempts thus far in training camp, according to @Eric_L_Smith.
— Guilty As Charged Podcast (@GACPodcast17) August 4, 2023
It’s worth pointing out that things could still change in the preseason. Dicker and Hopkins will presumably get the chance to kick in all of the games with the league’s new cutdown rule in effect. But the fact that Dicker has been taking all the kicks within the last week of training camp is very noteworthy.
One also has to wonder if Hopkins could be potentially preserved in practices as trade bait around the league. After the Jaguars traded Riley Patterson to the Lions back in May, the price for potentially trading a kicker in the event of an injury somewhere else or a need around the league is set at a late-Day 3 pick.
The Chargers don’t tend to keep kickers on the practice squad, either. Hopkins most likely wouldn’t make it through waivers anyway, given his experience and reputation around the league.
Unless Dicker suffers an injury or something else shifts the momentum soon, the kicking competition doesn’t seem to be much of a competition. It’s Dicker’s job to lose until further notice.