Dolphins Evaluate Three Kickers After Patterson Misses in First Two Games
The short version
- Riley Patterson missed a field goal in each of Miami's first two 2026 games.
- Jeff Hafley said after Week 2 that the team is counting on Patterson to make his kicks.
- Miami worked out Chris Freeman, Tanner Brown and Lucas Havrisik on Tuesday.
- Havrisik is 19-of-24 on NFL field goals with a long of 61 yards.
- No kicker had been signed at the time of the report.
Miami worked out Chris Freeman, Tanner Brown and Lucas Havrisik after Riley Patterson missed a field goal in each of the season's first two weeks.
Riley Patterson has opened the 2026 season with a field goal miss in each of Miami's first two games, misfiring against the Raiders in Week 1 and again versus the 49ers in Week 2.
After the Week 2 defeat, head coach Jeff Hafley made clear the team needs those points, noting the misses in both contests and saying the club relies on Patterson to convert his opportunities.
On Tuesday, the Dolphins responded by auditioning three kickers: Chris Freeman, Tanner Brown and Lucas Havrisik. Freeman played collegiately at UConn and signed with Houston this offseason, only to be released two days later.
Brown entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2023 and has had stints with the Rams, Falcons and Saints, plus the Louisville Kings of the UFL. He has yet to attempt an NFL kick but connected on 25 of 28 field goals with Louisville earlier this year, including a 60-yarder.
Havrisik, previously with the Colts, Browns, Rams, Bills and Packers as well as the UFL's Arlington Renegades, owns an NFL record of 19 makes on 24 attempts with a career long of 61 yards. Miami had not signed any of the three at the time of the report.
Written by the Matchday Live desk from reporting by Yahoo Sports.
Read the original report at Yahoo Sports ↗