Getty Images Corey Taylor II of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
The Cleveland Browns hosted a group of players for tryouts this week and former Tulsa running back Corey Taylor II ended up getting the call to join the team for training camp.
Taylor is an undrafted free agent out of Tulsa and the deal was announced by his agency. He finished his career with the Golden Hurricanes with 2,034 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns. Taylor’s best season was an 846-yard and 11-touchdown campaign in 2018. He’s tied for fifth place on the school’s career rushing touchdown list, notching seven career 100-yard rushing games.
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The Browns lost backup running back Tre Harbison this week during camp, with the rookie needing the be carted off the field after what Browns head coach called a “freak thing.” He’s out with a concussion.
“Just kind of a freak thing where they collided,” Stefanski said. “It was unfortunate. Talked to him this morning. He is doing fine.”
Potential Position Battle at Backup Running Back
The Browns depth chart is headlined by Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb and they’ll receive almost all of the work if healthy.
“It is a luxury to have those two guys – 1A and 1B,” Stefanski said of his star running back duo. “We feel strongly that both of them they can all do anything that we asked them to do in this offense. [Run game coordinator/running backs coach] Stump Mitchell does an outstanding job with those guys throughout the week, but especially on game day. Stump has a really good feel for who needs a break, when it is Nick’s time to go in there and when it is Kareem’s of how to utilize those guys in the best way.”
But since it’s the preseason, the team needs depth heading into those games, although there is a competition for the No. 3 running back spot between D’Ernest Johnson and rookie Demetric Felton.
Johnson is entering his third season with the Browns, playing a minor role the past two years. He has carried the ball 37 times for 187 yards during his career in Cleveland, also playing a role returning the ball on special teams.
Felton was a sixth-round pick of the Browns in this year’s draft and his versatility has been highly touted. He rushed for 1,101 yards, averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored seven touchdowns in his four seasons at UCLA. He also snagged 99 receptions for 958 yards and eight touchdowns and found the end zone once as a returner.
Kareem Hunt, Nick Chubb Show Running Backs Do Matter
Unlike other teams, the Browns have not been shy about investing in their running backs. Kareem Hunt signed an extension last offseason and Chubb is fresh off inking his three-year deal.
Hunt is happy to be the face of the “running backs do matter” movement, along with Chubb.
“We are trying to be more than a face. We are trying to be a face that helps bring something special here, and that is a championship. We still have to go out there and prove it each and every week,” Hunt told reporters. “I know what type of players we are. I really do not buy into all of that ‘running back don’t matter’ stuff. I know a lot of running backs who can take a game over by themselves.”