The Tennessee Titans have torn down and built up their kicking room twice this offseason, completing their latest renovation at the NFL's 53-man roster deadline. After Tennessee sent the New England Patriots a 2025 seventh-round pick for veteran kicker Nick Folk on Tuesday, the Titans added another specialist the following day.
The Titans signed former Cleveland Browns kicker Cade York, who they signed to their practice squad on Thursday. York was released earlier this week after a poor preseason, as Cleveland opted to trade for former Los Angeles Chargers kicker Dustin Hopkins.
Despite the addition of a second kicker, head coach Mike Vrabel made it clear Folk is their starter, and will help York's development along the way.
"Nick is our kicker," Vrabel said, via the Titans' official website. "Nick is our kicker, and we feel really good about what he has done and what he will do. We just felt like it was a good opportunity to bring Cade in here to allow him to develop and work and see where he is at. … (But) Nick is our kicker."
York was selected by the Browns in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of LSU. He was one of the most successful kickers in program history, and even left school early to enter the NFL Draft. In his rookie season with Cleveland, York converted on 75% of his field goals with a long of 58 yards, and 94.6% of his extra points.
However, York hit a slump this preseason. He went 4 of 8 on field goal attempts in four exhibition games, which included a potential 43-yard game-winner that was blocked with 12 seconds remaining in Cleveland's final preseason outing against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"People gave me pats on the back, but I hate pity. Pity pisses me off," York said after the Chiefs game. "I want to be a weapon. I know how good I am and it's been the most frustrating thing the last month, struggling with that."
The Browns wanted to add their former fourth-round pick to their practice squad, but York opted for a change of scenery.
"I think you can understand him maybe wanting to go somewhere else and maybe get a breath of fresh air," said Browns VP of Player Personnel Glenn Cook, via Cleveland.com.
The Titans have famously struggled with the kicker position, and have had 10 different kickers in just the last four years. York is only 22 years old, and could serve as Tennessee's kicker in the future after the 38-year-old Folk steps away. It's an intriguing addition made by new general manager Ran Carthon.
