The Cleveland Browns announced that they have signed kicker Greg Joseph and waived second year kicker Zane Gonzalez. Joseph was one of the kickers, along with veterans Cairo Santos and Blair Walsh, to work out Monday for the team. Joseph spent last season with Florida Atlantic as a graduate student. He spent the off-season with the Miami Dolphins before being cut in favor of rookie Jason Sanders. He was named Honorable Mention on the Conference USA team. He converted all three field goal attempts with the Dolphins this summer. He is a native of Johannesburg, South Africa. “People have told me if it doesn’t work here, ‘You’re gonna have a shot and you deserve to be one of the 32,’” Joseph said via the Palm Beach Post. “A couple months ago I was just a kicker from FAU, so I’m thankful to Rizz for giving me a shot. Whether I’m part of the 53 or not, I’m leaving that building with a smile on my face because I did everything I could and I’ve had a great experience.” The Browns lost Sunday's game to the New Orleans Saints by three points. Second year kicker Zane Gonzalez missed two field goals, including one to end the game, and two extra points. Gonzalez also missed a field goal in overtime last week in a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers. "Special teams wise, obviously there is something that we have got to get better at. Had some chances, missed them. We have to grow from that," head coach Hue Jackson said after the game. Join the largest Cleveland Browns fan community on Facebook. Click here and like our page today! Following the game, Jackson sounded like a coach who wanted to make a move but could not say anything because the team did not have a plan in place yet. "I told him to put his head up. He is still one of the guys in that room. Obviously that is going to be what everybody says is the kicks obviously. Make the kick before we have the chance to get to overtime, we would be feeling differently but we didn't. We missed it. We have work to do. We have to get better." Jackson noted that Gonzalez had kicked well in practice but it did not translate to the field. The Arizona State product had converted just 2-of-5 field goals this season with a long of 39 yards. He is 3-of-5 on extra points. During his rookie campaign, he converted just 15-of-20 field goals with a long of 54 yards. He also made 25-of-26 extra point attempts. Gonzalez was a seventh round choice in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Browns host the New York Jets Thursday night.<doc-sep>The Browns, who entered the season with one win in their last 32 games, should be 2-0 right now. Kicker Zane Gonzalez honked a field goal in overtime against the Steelers in Week 1. Then, on Sunday against the Saints, he missed two field goals and two extra points. Cleveland tied Pittsburgh and lost to New Orleans by three points. Even for a franchise as hapless as this one, fans used to losing in new and extraordinary ways were not amused. This includes LeBron James. "He better not say my bad," an exasperated James said. "No, he better not. He might get his ass whooped." It should come as no surprise that the Browns have reportedly decided to move on; Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot tweets that the team will sign former Dolphins kicker Greg Joseph. And ESPN's Adam Schefter says that Gonzalez had been kicking with a groin injury and he will undergo an MRI. The team also kicked the tires on Blair Walsh and Cairo Santos, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Walsh has his own history of agonizing misses, and general manager John Dorsey knows Santos from their time together in Kansas City. One name conspicuously absent? Dan Bailey, the second-most accurate kicker in league history who was released by the Cowboys earlier this month because he was making too much money. So where is Bailey? ESPN.com's Adam Schefter reports that the kicker has already rebuffed four teams who inquired about his services and, yes, one of those teams was the Browns. The Vikings might be a more attractive landing spot for Bailey should they part ways with rookie Daniel Carlson, who missed all three field-goal attempts against the Packers, including two in overtime. The Cowboys released Bailey midway through a seven-year, $22.5 million contract that would have paid him a base salary of $3.4 million in each of the next three seasons. Meanwhile, Browns fans took to Bourbon St. after the latest loss to do what Gonzalez couldn't.<doc-sep>Bill Feig/Associated Press It likely would have been helpful for the Cleveland Browns if head coach Hue Jackson knew kicker Zane Gonzalez was injured before sending him on the field to miss two field goals and two extra points in Sunday's three-point loss to the New Orleans Saints, but he apparently had no idea. "I knew nothing about an injury whatsoever so that was new to me," Jackson said on Monday, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The comment comes after Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Gonzalez was kicking with a groin injury and needed an MRI. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns told Gonzalez they were releasing him following his poor performance. Florio explained: "If Gonzalez was injured, he can't be cut without an injury settlement or placement on injured reserve. And if the Browns insist that Gonzalez was healthy, the stage could be set for an injury grievance." Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported the Browns signed kicker Greg Joseph to replace Gonzalez. Joseph is yet to attempt a regular-season field goal in the NFL and spent the offseason on the Miami Dolphins. He connected on 69.5 percent of his field goals and 97.1 percent of his extra points during four collegiate seasons with Florida Atlantic. Video Play Button Videos you might like As for Gonzalez, the injury news and getting cut come after a disastrous day on Sunday. The eight points he left on the field were clearly critical in a 21-18 loss, and his final miss was particularly cruel for Browns fans after Tyrod Taylor drove the team into field-goal range on a possession that started with 21 seconds remaining. What's more, Gonzalez's final missed extra point would have given Cleveland a 19-18 lead with one minute and 16 seconds remaining. Still, the Browns surely would have altered their strategy throughout the game had Jackson been aware his kicker was nursing an injury.<doc-sep>
There was but one surety after the Cleveland Browns’ latest devastating loss, on Sunday in New Orleans: they’d be looking for a new kicker. Zane Gonalez missed two field goals and two extra points in the game, eight points Cleveland absolutely needed in a game it lost by three. And we were right: the Browns already have a new kicker. The Cleveland Browns are reportedly signing Greg Joseph to replace Zane Gonzalez. (AP) Greg Joseph reportedly signed Via multiple reports, the Browns are signing Greg Joseph to replace Gonzalez, who had missed three of his five field goal attempts in two games this season. Joseph, an undrafted rookie, spent training camp with the Miami Dolphins. He lost out to seventh-round draft pick Jason Sanders for the job with Miami. Time will tell, of course, but Joseph may not be much better than Gonzalez: at Florida Atlantic, he made just 69.5 percent of his field goals, including 15-of-21 kicks (71.4 percent) as a fifth-year senior in 2017. Zane Gonzalez was playing injured Meanwhile, Gonzalez may be getting a bit of a raw deal. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the second-year player was kicking with a groin injury, which he was getting an MRI for on Monday. Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweeted that the Browns had informed Gonzalez that he’s getting released; however, if Gonzalez is injured, the team must either waive him with the injured designation, or he could receive an injury settlement. More from Yahoo Sports: • ‘Completely disrespectful’: Bills player retires at halftime • Rams player arrested on DUI charge shortly after Sunday’s win • LeBron rips Browns kicker: ‘Are you kidding me man’ • Which 0-2 team is the NFL’s most desperate?