The Cleveland Browns need help in their depleted backfield, but Dylan Sampson’s comeback will have to wait at least another week.
Cleveland ruled Sampson out for Sunday’s AFC North matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. The second-year running back returned to practice this week, but he will remain on injured reserve as he works back from a knee injury.
Sampson was injured during the first quarter of the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 13 and landed on injured reserve two days later. Cleveland opened his practice window Wednesday, and he participated on a limited basis Thursday and Friday.
A fourth-round pick out of Tennessee in 2025, Sampson rushed for 175 yards on 65 carries as a rookie. His biggest contribution came through the air, where he caught 33 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games.
That receiving ability could give coach Todd Monken another way to move the ball and take some pressure off Quinshon Judkins. Sampson also contributes on special teams, returning two kickoffs for 64 yards before leaving the opener. His absence has cost Cleveland an option in both phases.
Quinshon Judkins Returns to Practice With Status Uncertain
The Browns received a more encouraging update on Judkins, who returned to practice Friday after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday. He was a limited participant and is questionable with the ankle injury he suffered in last week’s loss to the New York Jets.
He is one of several key Browns players whose availability remains unsettled. Defensive tackle Mason Graham (knee and ankle), linebacker Carson Schwesinger (ankle) and defensive end Derek Barnett (ankle) are also questionable.
Judkins remains Cleveland’s bell cow, but the production has yet to match the workload. Through five games, he has 221 rushing yards and one touchdown on 73 carries, averaging just 3.0 yards per attempt. His longest run has covered 14 yards.
He finished the 17-12 loss to the Jets with 44 yards on 14 carries. Cleveland managed 96 rushing yards as a team, with quarterback Deshaun Watson accounting for 40 of them.
The Browns need Judkins to give the offense a steadier foundation, especially with fewer options behind him. But getting him back on the field is only part of the assignment. Cleveland also needs to create more room for its lead back.
“We got to be able to run the football to control the game. It starts up front,” Monken said after the loss.
Browns Could Lean on Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin
Sampson’s absence leaves Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin as Cleveland’s healthy alternatives behind Judkins.
The Browns signed Estime off the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad Tuesday while placing Raheim Sanders on injured reserve. Sanders suffered a hip injury against the Jets after filling in behind Judkins during Sampson’s absence.
Estime, a fifth-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2024, brings 508 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 122 career carries. The 227-pound back has appeared in 20 games with Denver and the New Orleans Saints, giving Cleveland an experienced option who could be needed immediately.
McLaughlin could also be in line for a larger role after making the most of limited opportunities. He has just two carries for 31 yards this season, including a 28-yard touchdown in the win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He did not receive a carry against the Jets.
The former Broncos back rushed for 1,093 yards during three seasons in Denver before joining Cleveland. If Judkins cannot play or needs his workload reduced, McLaughlin and Estimé could go from depth options to central pieces of the game plan against Baltimore.
Browns Get Bad News on Backfield Ahead of AFC North Clash