Giorgio Tavecchio

Giorgio Tavecchio, who kicked in college at Cal, made 27-of-31 field goals in training camp, but only one of two in preseason games, missing a 49-yarder.

(Associated Press)

BEREA, Ohio -- Pro Bowl kicker Dan Carpenter's travel plans changed when he was on his way to Cleveland Monday to compete with fellow Pro Bowler Billy Cundiff for the Browns' vacancy, a league source told cleveland.com.

Billy Cundiff will compete against Giorgo Tavecchio for the Cleveland Browns kicking vacancy. (Tracy Boulian/The Plain Dealer)

He got a call from the Bills, whose rookie kicker, Dustin Hopkins, suffered a groin injury in practice. The Bills decided to sign Carpenter sight unseen, and he opted for the sure thing.

The Browns had a chance to forego the tryout and sign Carpenter on Monday, but they proceeded with their plans to bring kickers in to Berea on Tuesday for the tryout.

That means Billy Cundiff, who kicked for the Browns briefly in 2009, is the frontrunner for the job. He'll compete Tuesday against Italian-born Giorgio Tavecchio, who was cut last week by the Packers.

Tavecchio, who kicked in college at Cal, made 27-of-31 field goals in training camp, but only one of two in preseason games, missing a 49-yarder.

Coach Rob Chudzinski also said Saturday that the Browns haven't ruled out re-signing one of the kickers that spent all summer with them -- 12-year veteran Shayne Graham or rookie Brandon Bogotay.

Graham's contract was terminated on final cutdown day and Bogotay was released.

As of Monday evening, the Browns had not yet scheduled a tryout with Havard Rugland, better known as "Kickalicious.'' He's the trick shot artist who tried out for the Browns in the spring and then signed with the Lions, where he made all three of his field goals in preason, including a 33-yarder against the Browns.

Carpenter actually landed in Cleveland Monday night to grab his bags and then flew to Buffalo from here to sign his contract. ESPN's Adam Schefter was the first to report that the Bills were preparing to sign Carpenter.

The Bills were in the process of transitioning from 10-year veteran Rian Lindell (now with Tampa Bay) to Hopkins, their sixth-round pick out of Florida State, when the rookie pulled the groin.

Carpenter's sure-thing derailed the Browns' plans to have the two kickers square off in a winner-take-all competition in Berea on Tuesday, an off-day for the rest of the players.

Cundiff, 33, will know his way around the Browns facility when he comes to town. He replaced an injured Phil Dawson (strained calf) in week five of the 2009 season and kicked the game-winning field goal to help the Browns beat the Bills 6-3.

He went on to kick for the Ravens the following season, earning Pro Bowl honors after making 26 of his 29 field goal attempts and a league-high 40 touchbacks. He also led the league with a 71.1 kickoff average.

But Cundiff missed a potential game-tying 32-yard field goal for the Ravens in the closing seconds of the AFC Championship game following the 2011 season, and the Ravens lost to the Patriots, 23-20.

Cundiff was released in August of 2012 and spent time with Washington and San Francisco. He also tried out with the Jets this summer but was released last week when they opted to give Carpenter a look.

Cundiff made all three of his field goals this preseason -- all from 39 yards or less -- and all four of his extra points. Overall, he's made 139 of 184 attempts for 75.5 percent.

Carpenter, 27, has spent time with the Dolphins, Cardinals and Jets, and was released by all three teams last month.

A Pro Bowler in 2009, has made 127 of 155 field goal attempts for 81.9 percent. His longest was a 60-yarder against the Browns on Dec. 5, 2010, the longest in Dolphins history. Carpenter signed with Cardinals last month after being let go by Miami, but was let go four days later after his lone field goal attempt, a 26-yarder, was blocked. He had practiced with the team only one day.

Tavecchio, as a senior at Cal, made 20-of-23 field goals but missed six extra points. He finished fifth all-time om Cal's scoring list with 256 points.

Old faces, new places: Former Browns cornerback Dimitri Patterson returns to Cleveland as a starter on Sunday with the Miami Dolphins eager to prove he’s a valuable contributor.

Patterson was released by the Browns during an injury-plagued 2012 and finished the year with the Dolphins.

“You’re always trying to prove doubters wrong and people who may not think as highly of you as the next person will,” Patterson told ESPN.com on Monday. “That’s just how it goes. That’s just part of the business. My objective is to go out here and make an impact in some form or fashion.”

In July, the outspoken Patterson told the website his release from the Browns, “had nothing to do with football.” He would not elaborate on the statement, but hinted politics were at play.

Patterson, who spent parts of two seasons with the Browns, plans to share what he knows about his former teammates with his current ones.

“Whatever information I have on some players, strengths and weaknesses, what they bring to the field, no doubt about it,” Patterson said. “Whatever insight I can provide, I will certainly help us be successful on Sunday.”

Hauptmann Back: The Browns re-signed rookie offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann to their practice squad.