Chargers sign K Dustin Hopkins, waive Tristan Vizcaino

3 years ago 283

Chargers manager Brandon Staley often mentioned Tristan Vizcaino’s precocious imaginable arsenic a kicker due to the fact that of his beardown leg. But arsenic the missed other points stacked, Staley and the Chargers had to support their options open.

When an experienced kicker became available, that enactment was much enticing than waiting for Vizcaino to flooded his increasing pains and scope his potential.

The Chargers announced the signing of kicker Dustin Hopkins and waived Vizcaino connected Tuesday.

Hopkins, 31, was released by the Washington Football Team past week and near arsenic the organization’s all-time person successful tract extremity percent (84.0%) and made tract goals of 50-plus yards (13). Hopkins was drafted successful the sixth circular by the Buffalo Bills successful 2013, but didn’t footwear successful his archetypal NFL crippled until helium joined Washington successful 2015.

The Chargers kept their options unfastened astatine kicker. Vizcaino had a league-high 5 missed extra-point attempts. The Damien High postgraduate missed 2 other points against the Kansas City Chiefs successful Week 3 and doubly versus the Cleveland Browns successful Week 5.

Hopkins has ne'er missed much than 3 extra-point attempts successful a play and has a vocation percent of 94.2% (179-of-190). He’s made 163 vocation tract goals retired of 194 attempts.

“Something that I inactive judge successful my bosom is that this feline has existent talent,” Staley said astir Vizcaino connected Monday. “And we’re conscionable going to spot wherever it goes. I deliberation we’ve identified immoderate factors that tin assistance his game. At the aforesaid time, we’re going to marque definite that we support each of our options unfastened astatine that position.”

Vizcaino, 25, won the Chargers’ kicker occupation implicit Michael Badgley successful grooming camp. Finding a subordinate to clasp the kicker occupation has been a conflict for the Chargers for galore years.

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