Kickers in the NFL have one job, and if they don’t do it well, they soon could be on the street with their other out-of-work brethren. Bengals kicker Cade York knows all about what failure means. The Browns drafted him in the fourth round in 2022 and cut him at the end of their 2023 training camp. He re-signed with the Browns in the 2024 offseason, even though they had Dustin Hopkins. Related Articles Cleveland Browns | NFL has a record number of playoff clinches and bottom dwellers with 3 weeks to go Cleveland Browns | Jameis Winston goes from starter to tutor as Browns turn to Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback Cleveland Browns | Browns starting QB Thompson-Robinson against Bengals over turnover-prone Winston, AP source says Cleveland Browns | Stefanski stays mum on naming Browns’ starting QB for next game Cleveland Browns | Something has to change as Browns’ offense hits new low in loss to Chiefs | Jeff Schudel The Browns were ready to cut York again,  but instead they traded him to the Commanders for a conditional seventh-round pick in late August. York missed two field goal tries in the Commanders’ opener and was cut the next day, so the pick reverts back to Washington. York landed with the Bengals because their regular kicker, Evan McPherson, was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury on Dec. 4. York is 3-for-3 on field goal attempts with the Bengals. Hopkins is an exception to the rule. He has converted only 16 of 25 field goal attempts this season, yet the Browns are standing by him. Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone is confident #Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins has his groove back. pic.twitter.com/8pNZ21DhBE — Jeff Schudel (@jsproinsider) December 19, 2024 Hopkins was benched last week after Riley Patterson was signed to the practice squad and then elevated to the 53-man roster for the game with the Chiefs, but even during uncertainty leading up to Patterson being elevated, head coach Kevin Stefanski said, “Dustin is our kicker.” Hopkins has his job back this week, which means the game between the Browns and Bengals on Dec. 22 in Cincinnati could come down to a duel between a kicker the Browns gave up on twice and one they are confident can regain the touch that allowed him to convert 30 of 33 field goal tries last season. “I feel like they’re justified in making whatever decision they made because I didn’t do what I needed to do on the front end,” Hopkins said after practice Dec. 19. “So, that’s one. And then two, one thing Kevin told me was like, ‘Hey, just trust me.’ “Kevin’s been so awesome with me, so I do trust him. So when he said that, I was like, ‘I do, I trust you. I’m going to do everything I can to be ready when the time comes and we’ll move forward.’” Hopkins kicked four game-winning field goals in the final two minutes of games last season. He was 8-for-8 on kicks from 50 yards and longer. The Browns (3-11) have not lost games because of a Hopkins miss, but some of his errant attempts have been deflating. He was wide left from 38 yards near the end of the first half against the Steelers on Dec. 8 and then wide right from 43 yards on the Browns’ first possession of the third quarter. Had he made those kicks, the score would have been 13-13. He missed both and the Browns went on to lose, 27-14. “I knew what was going wrong, but it was a matter of like, ‘OK, how do you fix that now with a swing that’s fluid and that you don’t have to think about too drastically?’ ” Hopkins said. “You don’t want to change too much in season, either. So yeah, I feel like I got a handle on it.” Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone has worked closely with Hopkins to get him back on track. He and Hopkins watched film — film of when Hopkins was making his kicks and of the ones missed so he could find his stroke again. “He hit the ball well in practice,” Ventrone said Dec. 19. “Out of all the kicks that we had, he made them all. “I think it was a good week for him to kind of reset. I think Coach (Stefanski) did a good job, had a plan, obviously, to give him some rest and just take a step away and just kind of refocus and try to finish out the season strong.” Patterson on Dec. 18 was signed off the Browns’ practice squad to the Falcons’ 53-man roster. Hopkins’ job calls for him to be separated from his family. His wife and two children live in their Nashville home, where Dustin resides in the offseason. “They’ll pop up here and there periodically,” Hopkins said. “Sometimes it can be (tough). It’s harder on my wife because she’s watching the kiddos, which is a lot harder job than I have.” Hopkins is signed through 2027. He signed a three-year extension in July worth $15.9 million. Injury report Browns >> DE Myles Garrett (back), DT Shelby Harris (elbow) and TE David Njoku (hamstring) did not practice Dec. 19. CB Martin Emerson (concussion), WR Cedric Tillman (concussion), cornerback Cameron Mitchell (knee) and quarterback Jameis Winston (right shoulder) were limited. Bengals >> LT Orlando Brown (fibula), WR Tee Higgins (rest), DE Sam Hubbard (knee), DT Kris Jenkins (illness) and DT Sheldon Rankins (illness did not practice. Browns at Bengals When: 1 p.m. Dec. 22 Where: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati Records: Browns 3-11, Bengals 6-8 TV: WOIO Radio: WKRK-FM 92.3, WNCX-FM 98.5, WKNR-AM 850, WKKY-FM 104.7