The Cleveland Browns are turning to Jaleel McLaughlin to help fill the hole left by Dylan Sampson’s knee injury.
Cleveland signed McLaughlin from its practice squad to the active roster Tuesday while placing Sampson on injured reserve. The move gives the Browns an experienced option behind Quinshon Judkins as they prepare for their Week 2 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
McLaughlin spent his first three NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos, rushing for 1,093 yards and three touchdowns. His most productive rushing season came in 2024, when he finished with 496 yards. He also caught 59 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns during his time in Denver.
Sampson must miss at least four games after injuring his knee on a kickoff return during Cleveland’s 34-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. His absence leaves the Browns without a change-of-pace back and a contributor on special teams just one game into the season.
Jaleel McLaughlin Gets Fresh Opportunity With Browns
McLaughlin already had a foothold in Cleveland before the injury created an opening. The Browns signed him to their practice squad September 1, giving him two weeks with the team before Tuesday’s promotion.
The 5-foot-7, 187-pound back entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Youngstown State in 2023. He will wear No. 38 with Cleveland.
His workload diminished in Denver last season. McLaughlin appeared in eight games in 2025, finishing with 37 carries for 187 yards and a touchdown. Across his three seasons, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry.
His production makes him an intriguing option to complement Judkins. McLaughlin has experience contributing as both a runner and receiver, giving Cleveland another way to distribute the work Sampson leaves behind.
Browns Need More From Backfield After Week 1 Loss
Cleveland’s ground game offered little support in Jacksonville. Judkins finished with 33 yards on 12 carries, while Raheim Sanders added one yard on his lone attempt.
Sanders did provide a spark on special teams, returning three kickoffs for 130 yards. His 74-yard return helped set up Cleveland’s first scoring drive and showed he could help cover another part of Sampson’s role.
The backfield changes come as coach Todd Monken tries to clean up an offense that struggled to get organized before the snap. Much of the pressure is on quarterback Deshaun Watson to provide a reason the Browns should stick with him moving forward.
Watson finished Week 1 with 205 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. His lone touchdown came late with the outcome already decided, making the final numbers look better than the afternoon felt. Monken pointed to the entire unit needing to pick up the slack.
“We got to play better around him,” Monken said. “We got to call it better, and he’s got to play better.”
Cleveland also added another running back Tuesday, signing former New York Giants fifth-round pick Eric Gray to the practice squad. Gray has appeared in 34 career games and gives the Browns additional depth while Sampson recovers.
Browns Add 1,000-Yard RB as Dylan Sampson Heads to IR