The Cleveland Browns relied on kicker Zane Gonzalez to handle the punting duties after Britton Colquitt took a helmet-to-helmet hit while trying to make a tackle on a punt return. Unfortunately for the Browns, Gonzalez doesn’t look like he’s good at the job.
On the first punt try for Gonzalez, he shanked it off the side of his foot for just 16 yards.
Colquitt was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion, but he returned to the field for the last play of the first half as a holder for Gonzalez. That appears to mean Colquitt will be back for Cleveland in the second half, which looks like really good news for the Browns.
There have been a few examples of teams turning to emergency kickers in 2017, but Gonzalez is the first emergency punter of the year. The rookie kicker never attempted a punt in his four seasons at Arizona State.
Considering how his first attempt went, the Browns might be better off if they just let DeShone Kizer handle the punting duties if Colquitt leaves again.