The Los Angeles Chargers moved kicker Dustin Hopkins to injured reserve on Tuesday and signed kicker Cameron Dicker to the active roster.
Dicker, 22, kicked game-winning field goals in the first two games of his NFL career.
Dicker kicked the game-winning 37-yard field goal in a 20-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in his team debut in Week 9. He was signed to the practice squad three days before the game when kicker Taylor Bertolet went on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury, then promoted to the active roster.
Hopkins strained his right hamstring in a Week 6 contest against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 17. Playing through visible pain, Hopkins went 4 for 4 on field goals, including the game-winner in overtime to give Los Angeles a 19-16 victory.
Hopkins hasn’t played since. Coach Brandon Staley originally said the timetable would be two to four weeks.
Dicker will likely be the Chargers’ placekicker for at least the next four games, the span Hopkins must miss before he becomes eligible to be activated off IR.
Dicker, an undrafted rookie out of Texas, appeared in one game for the Philadelphia Eagles before the Chargers picked him up while Hopkins was hurt. He kicked the game-winning 23-yard field goal against the Arizona Cardinals in his NFL debut for the Eagles in Week 5.
A practice squad promotion in each of the last three weeks, Dicker has been perfect for the Chargers, making all six extra points and all seven field goals he’s attempted, with a long of 47 yards.
Hopkins has kicked in 109 NFL games with Washington (2015-21) and the Chargers (2021-22). He has made 190 of 224 field-goal attempts, a success rate of 84.8 percent.
–Field Level Media
