The Cleveland Browns needed more from their running game Sunday. A back they cut six days earlier delivered it for the other team.
Audric Estime rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in the New Orleans Saints’ 23-22 overtime victory, giving his former team an immediate reminder of the player it had let go.
Cleveland waived Estime on Nov. 2. New Orleans claimed him the following day and put him to work against the Browns.
Estime finished with more rushing yards than Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson combined. Cleveland’s top two backs managed 64 yards on 23 attempts, while Estime averaged 4.8 yards per carry.
His biggest contribution came with the game slipping away from New Orleans. Estime scored from 2 yards out with 58 seconds remaining in regulation, putting the Saints ahead 16-13.
Shedeur Sanders answered by moving Cleveland into position for Andre Szmyt’s tying 51-yard field goal. But the Browns eventually fell in overtime, dropping to 5-4 with their second consecutive loss.
Audric Estime Quickly Finds a Role After Browns Release
Estime’s Cleveland stint lasted less than three weeks. The Browns signed him off the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad on Oct. 13 while injuries strained their backfield. Raheim Sanders went on injured reserve with a hip injury, Sampson was recovering from a knee injury and Judkins was dealing with an ankle issue.
Estime appeared in one game, rushing nine times for 19 yards and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens. He was inactive against Tennessee and Pittsburgh as Cleveland got its other backs healthy.
The Saints claimed Estime off waivers, returning him to a familiar offense. He played seven games for New Orleans in 2025 and spent training camp and the preseason with the team this year. He returned to a team he already knew and, by Sunday, led the Saints in both carries and rushing yards.
Browns’ Ground Game Struggles
The final rushing numbers underscored how little support Cleveland provided Sanders on the ground. Judkins finished with 43 yards on 15 carries. Sampson added 21 on eight attempts. Including Sanders’ scrambling and a Concepcion carry, the Browns totaled 95 yards on 34 rushes, averaging 2.8 yards.
Cleveland also wasted a prime scoring opportunity in the second quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the Saints’ 1-yard line, Sanders bumped into guard Austin Barber before handing off to Judkins, who was stopped short of the end zone.
Todd Monken had already addressed how difficult inconsistent rushing production made life for his offense.
“It is so hard if you can’t run the football, and we’ve been making it hard,” Monken said after Cleveland’s win over Tennessee.
The problems also extended to the defense, which couldn’t slow down the Saints ground attack. New Orleans entered averaging just 86 rushing yards per game and finished Sunday with 160 on 32 attempts. Estime led the way, while quarterback Tyler Shough added 51 creative yards. Veteran Alvin Kamara contributed 32.
Cleveland now returns home to face Houston after two straight losses.
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