Cleveland Browns: Kicking competition still in early stages

By Fansided and Kristopher Knox/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone
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The Cleveland Browns drafted Zane Gonzalez to solidify the kicker position, but the starting job is anything by guaranteed.

For a long time, the kicker position was essentially the only position on the Cleveland Browns roster that the team never had to worry about. From the franchise's return in 1999 until 2012, Dawson kicked balls for the Browns. Since Dawson left after the 2012 season, though, Cleveland hasn't had a permanent solution for the kicker position.

Billy Cundiff handled kicking duties during the 2013 season. He and Garrett Hartley split duties in 2014. Then-rookie Travis Coons had the job in 2015. Patrick Murray and Cody Parkey split the job last season. Parkey remains with the team.

Drafting Zane Gonzalez out of Arizona State in 2017 made a ton of sense, because he might just be able to lock down the kicker position the way that Dawson once did. After all, it would be pretty cool to hear "Zane" chants coming from the Dawg Pound.

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    Gonzalez certainly has the potential. He earned All-American honors last season and earned the Lou Groza Award as the nation's best kicker. The former Sun Devil could be the long-term answer the Browns have been searching for, but he hasn't wrestled away the job from Parkey yet. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor made it clear that Gonzalez's status as a draft pick won't win him the job either.

    Tabor had this to say via the team's official website:

    Jobs aren't usually won or lost in June, but it's worth noting that Gonzalez and Parkey appear to be equal ground right now. This isn't a high-profile competition, but it's an important one — and it's one that'll be fun to watch through training camp.