Cleveland Browns

Browns sign free agent kicker

Published Mar. 21, 2017 1:27 a.m. ET

CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Browns signed free agent kicker Brett Maher to compete with Cody Parkey for the starting job.

Maher spent the past three seasons in the Canadian Football League, where he connected on 41 of 50 field-goal tries and scored 161 points for Winnipeg, Ottawa and Hamilton.

The 27-year-old signed with the New York Jets after playing at Nebraska. He also spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, but has not appeared in an NFL game.

In his first season with Cleveland, Parkey made 20 of 25 field goals, 20 of 21 extra points and scored 80 points for the 1-15 Browns.

Parkey signed with Cleveland last year after kicker Patrick Murray suffered a left knee injury two days before a Sept. 25 game against Miami. Rushed into service, Parkey missed three field goals, including a 46-yarder on the final play of regulation that would have given the Browns the win. They lost in overtime.