Here are the latest mid- and late-round picks to sign their four-year rookie contracts:
Cleveland Browns
- K Cade York (fourth round, LSU)
New England Patriots
- RB Pierre Strong (fourth round, South Dakota State)
The Browns made York the highest-drafted kicker since 2016 (Roberto Aguayo, Round 2) by selecting him 124th overall. The team was eyeing Evan McPherson in the 2021 draft, and after seeing the Bengals pounce on the talented specialist, the Browns decided to make an early move for York. LSU’s kicker for three seasons, York earned second-team All-America acclaim in 2020. York will be poised to take over Browns kicking duties, which Chase McLaughlin held last season. Cleveland has gone through a number of kickers in the past decade. The team has not featured the same primary kicker in consecutive seasons since Billy Cundiff from 2013-14.
Chosen 127th overall, Strong surpassed 1,000 yards three times during his career at the Division I-FCS program, doing so in each season not interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He amassed a Division I-FCS-best 1,668 rushing yards last season. Strong will join a Patriots backfield that features Damien Harris, who is going into a contract year, and Rhamondre Stevenson.
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