Thunder-footed punter agrees to stay in Cleveland for next 2 years at least
Punter Corey Bojorquez will be returning to the Browns on a 2-year deal.
Bojorquez, 27, has played the past two seasons in Cleveland after three years with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Green Bay Packers. This past two seasons, he averaged 49 yards on 148 punts, with a 41.5-yard net.
This past season was Bojorquez’s best with the Browns. He averaged 49,4 yards on 87 punts with a net of 42.2 yards, while putting 35.6% (31 punts) inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
The 27-year-old was named the AFC’S Special Teams Player of the Week in 2022 for his performance in a Week 16 game at the Washington Commanders. It’s the only time he’s won a Player of the Week award in either conference.
Bojorquez did miss the Week 17 win over the New York Jets with a quadricep injury. He sustained the injury the previous game when he handled the kickoff chores after kicker Dustin Hopkins sustained a hamstring injury.
Bojorquez has also handled the holder’s duties on field goals and point-after kicks.
The University of New Mexico product has had one of the stronger legs in the league. His 46.8-yard career average per punt currently ranks seventh among active punters, while he was seventh in average in 2022 and eighth in the category this past season.
Five times Bojorquez has ranked in the top 10 in the league in longest punt, including 10th last season with a 73-yard punt against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He led the league in both 2020 (72 yards) and 2021 (careerhigh 82 yards).
Smith re-signing made official
While most of the deals the Browns have made couldn’t be made official until the new league year began at 4 p.m. Wednesday, they were able to announce the new twoyear deal defensive end Za’darius Smith signed with the team.
“There’s something special brewing here in Cleveland,” Smith said in a release from the team. “Last year was the start of it and I’m just so happy to be able to come back. [...] Happy that I get a chance to continue my career here in Cleveland.”
Smith, who will be 32 on Sept. 8, was picked up in a mid-may trade with the Minnesota Vikings. He provided the perfect counterweight to eventual NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, even though his 5.5 sacks was well below the three double-digit sack seasons he had posted in 2019 and 2020 with the Green Bay Packers and in 2022 with the
Vikings.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pound University of Kentucky product was a constant presence in the opposing backfield for the Browns. He had 61 total pressures, which was tied for the thirdbest total in his nine-year career, and 40 quarterback hurries.
“That’s just the start,” Smith said in a release. “And that was just the first year, so picture how we can be year two and year three. It’s gonna be big man. And I’m just excited because this locker room, it’s a brotherhood and we get a chance to basically be together each and every day. We go out to eat on Wednesdays. Monday night, we watch Monday Night Football. So, it’s really like a brotherhood.”