The Cleveland Browns enter Week 3 against the Packers with optimism, despite injury concerns in practice this week. Friday brought a scare for the Browns’ kicking game when Andre Szmyt was limited in practice. After missing an extra point and a field goal in Week 1 against the Bengals, Szmyt bounced back in Week 2 versus the Ravens, making all three attempts.

The Browns were juggling multiple roster questions, but then on Saturday, it was confirmed via X that Szmyt and WR DeAndre Carter are healthy for Sunday’s game. “We’ve elevated WR Kaden Davis and CB Dom Jones from the practice squad. WR DeAndre Carter and K Andre Szmyt will also not have injury statuses for Sunday’s game,” the team posted.

Szmyt’s MRI came back clear, and the Browns removed the “questionable” label after he was limited in practice on Friday. Through two games, Szmyt has made two of three field-goal attempts and three of four extra-point tries. The team didn’t bring in any emergency kickers, a vote of confidence in Szmyt’s ability to rebound.

Szmyt earned his roster spot this summer after winning the preseason battle with veteran Dustin Hopkins, stepping into his first shot at regular-season action. A Lou Groza Award winner at Syracuse, he built a reputation for consistency in college and carried that résumé into Cleveland.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski has been clear—there’s no competition behind him right now. “We expect Andre to do his job, just like our team expects me to do my job,” Stefanski said earlier this week. “I expect every player to do their job. We’re not going to be perfect—we’ll own that together—but we have a ton of confidence because of what we’ve seen from this young man.”

That confidence will be tested against Green Bay. The Packers’ defense has already racked up 21 quarterback hits and eight sacks through two games, posting a 61.8% defensive rush success rate that ranks eighth in the league. On top of that, they’ve allowed just 97 rushing yards—the second-fewest in the NFL. For a Browns team reeling after a 41-17 loss to Baltimore, the pressure is mounting everywhere.

Rookie elevations add fresh depth to the roster. WR Kaden Davis (6-1, 193), in his first NFL season out of Northwest Missouri State, originally signed by Denver as an undrafted free agent in 2022, will wear No. 89. CB Dom Jones (6-2, 192), a rookie from Colorado State, joins the roster as well and will wear No. 37. Both players provide additional options for the Browns as they aim to avoid an 0-3 start.

Browns double down on Szmyt after costly misses

Statistically, Cleveland looked like the better team in Week 1. The Browns outgained the Bengals by nearly 200 yards, and Joe Flacco threw for 290, with deflections and tipped passes. But none of that mattered once Andre Szmyt’s struggles took center stage. He missed an extra point in the third quarter, then pushed a 36-yard field goal wide with just 2:25 left. Moreover, those misfires shifted the outcome, and, as former QB Bernie Kosar pointed out, accountability in football doesn’t allow for “sentimental comebacks.”

Still, the Browns chose patience. Instead of pulling the plug, Kevin Stefanski and special teams coach Bubba Ventrone backed their rookie. “I think we’ve had good operations. I don’t think that’s an issue,” Ventrone explained. “The practices have been good. The pregame warmup was good. I think that he’s in a good headspace. I feel like he’s confident. He understands that he needs to deliver and make his kicks.”

Szmyt didn’t shy away either, admitting the weight of his misses but stressing his focus on moving forward. “It feels good that they believed in me. I kind of flushed last weekend, just focused on this weekend. Not letting the highs get too high and not think the lows get too low. So now obviously it sucks, but you move on and move on to this week.” The Browns’ decision signals faith but also urgency. Stefanski has put his rookie on a short leash—there’s no margin left for repeat mistakes. Will this Packers game be his real proving ground?