It has not been a stellar year for Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins, whose season ended early in 2025 because of a nasty ankle injury that required much of the spring to rehab from. He did not miss time in training camp as he came back for his sophomore season, but since he has been back on the field, there is no doubt that he has seemed to lack the explosiveness he showed at times as a rookie, especially early in the season. The Browns have explained that by suggesting the team is adjusting to scheme changes and a completely rebuilt offensive line, but the fact is, we’re nine weeks into the season and that excuse does not hold water so much anymore–especially not with the way the team has been using backup Dylan Sampson.
Sampson suffered a knee injury in the season opening loss to Jacksonville, but returned to action in Week 7 against Tennessee. In the last two weeks, though Judkins has remained the starter, there has been a shift in the way the team is using the running backs–Sampson is on the field more than Judkins. Sampson played 39 snaps in Week 8 and 47 snaps on Sunday in Week 9. For Judkins, it was 27 snaps in Week 8 and just 25 in Week 9.
Browns Using Dylan Sampson More Than Quinshon Judkins
The Browns still hand the ball to Judkins more–26 times in the past two weeks, to just nine for Sampson. But Sampson has nine receptions in that time, and the Browns seem to like his speed and shiftiness.
Coach Todd Monken explained on Monday that the reason Sampson is playing more is that the Browns have been trailing, which takes them out of their pounding run style. It does not help that Judkins has averaged just 2.7 yards per carry in the past two weeks.
Said Monken: “The game went that way. We tried to keep it balanced early on. And when you’re not in rundowns, we’re in get-back-on-track a decent amount. We’re in third downs a decent amount. At the end of the game, we’re in two-minute to win it. Really, even when we got the ball back in overtime, you eventually got to where you wanted to throw it to have as much time, and that’s gonna put Dylan in the game because he’s our third-down back.
“It probably lent itself more that way by the way the game went. We did have a number of plays, and we did have scenarios we wanted Dylan in there. But the more you stay on track, the more you’re gonna see 10, and the more you’re not, and you’re in two-minute, the more you’re gonna see 22.”
Browns Star Quietly Being Overtaken by Backup