Kicked off: Browns waive K Seibert after 2 misses in opener

Posted September 14, 2020 7:00 am

By TOM WITHERS

Cleveland Browns place kicker Austin Seibert (4) attempts an extra point in the first half during an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Baltimore. The Browns are replacing kicker Austin Seibert after he missed an extra point and field goal in Sunday's opener, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press. Seibert, who clanged his extra point off the left upright and pushed a 41-yard field-goal try to the right, will be replaced by Cody Parkey, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not made the move official. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams, File) The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) - The Browns kicked aside their kicker after one game.

Cleveland waived Austin Seibert on Monday after he missed an extra point and field goal in the first half of Sunday's season-opening loss at Baltimore. He's being replaced by Cody Parkey, who kicked for the Browns in 2016 and is best known for missing a late field goal for the Chicago Bears in the 2018 playoffs.

Parkey will handle kicking duties when the Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.

Also, the Browns placed tight end David Njoku on injured reserve with a knee injury. A first-round pick in 2017, Njoku scored the Browns' only touchdown in Sunday's loss. Njoku will miss at least three games, per the NFL's new rules this season.

Seibert's fate was sealed when he clanged his extra point off the left upright and then pushed a 41-yard field-goal try to the right late in the first half as the Browns were routed 38-6 by the Ravens.

Even if Seibert had made those kicks, they probably wouldn't have changed the outcome of the game, but first-year coach Kevin Stefanski felt he had seen enough.

'œI expect him to make those kicks,'ť Stefanski said after Sunday's game. 'œI hold him to the same standard that we hold every other player on this team. He has to make those kicks.'ť

Earlier on Monday, Stefanski hinted at the switch when he said the team wanted 'œto gather more information and then we will let it go from there.'ť

A fifth-round pick in 2019 from Oklahoma, Seibert made 25 of 29 field-goal attempts and 30 of 35 extra points as a rookie last season. By all accounts, he had a decent training camp this summer and the Browns seemed ready to stick with him.

Parkey was recently signed to the team's practice squad as a precaution due to COVID-19 concerns. In an NFC wild-card game after the 2018 season, Parkey missed a 43-yard field goal - the ball hit the upright and crossbar - in the final seconds as the Bears lost 16-15 to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Parkey, who has also kicked for Philadelphia, Miami and Tennessee, went 7 of 12 on field goals for the Browns in 2016.

The loss of Njoku will deprive Baker Mayfield of another target and give Stefanski another worry.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Njoku had seemingly settled into his role after demanding the Browns trade him earlier this summer. He had three catches for 50 yards and caught a 1-yard TD pass in the first quarter before getting hurt.

Njoku played in just four games last season after breaking his wrist in Week 2. The former Miami standout had four TD catches in 2017 and 2018.

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FILE - Tennessee Titans kicker Cody Parkey (3) is congratulated after kicking a 42-yard field goal against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. The Cleveland Browns are replacing kicker Austin Seibert after he missed an extra point and field goal in Sunday's, Sept. 13, 2020, opener, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press. Seibert, who clanged his extra point off the left upright and pushed a 41-yard field-goal try to the right, will be replaced by Cody Parkey, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not made the move official. (AP Photo/James Kenney, File) The Associated Press

FILE - Tennessee Titans kicker Cody Parkey kicks a 45-yard field goal as Brett Kern (6) holds in the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. The Cleveland Browns are replacing kicker Austin Seibert after he missed an extra point and field goal in Sunday's, Sept. 13, 2020, opener, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press. Seibert, who clanged his extra point off the left upright and pushed a 41-yard field-goal try to the right, will be replaced by Cody Parkey, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not made the move official.(AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File) The Associated Press

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