Audric Estime scored a touchdown in his Cleveland Browns debut. It wound up being his only appearance for the team.
The former Denver Broncos running back was waived by the Browns on Nov. 2, another setback for a player Denver selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Estime finished his Cleveland stint with nine carries for 19 yards and one touchdown. The Browns had signed him from the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad on Oct. 13, giving him less than three weeks on their active roster.
His departure comes just two weeks after a promising introduction: a fourth-quarter touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens that helped Cleveland earn a divisional win.
Browns Waive Audric Estime After Touchdown in Debut
Cleveland turned to Estime while dealing with injuries throughout its backfield. The Browns placed Raheim Sanders on injured reserve the day they signed Estime, while Quinshon Judkins was ultimately inactive for the Week 6 matchup against Baltimore.
That created an immediate opening for the former Broncos draft pick, who went from learning a new playbook to handling meaningful carries in a matter of days.
As Browns staff writer Kelsey Russo detailed, Estime followed fullback Michael Burton into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown that tied the Ravens at 10-10. Cleveland went on to win 13-10.
The opportunity also reunited Estime with Jaleel McLaughlin, his former Denver teammate. McLaughlin helped him adjust to Cleveland’s offense, and the two shared the rushing workload against Baltimore.
But that first-game contribution did not become a lasting role. His nine carries against the Ravens were his only rushing attempts for Cleveland before Monday’s move.
Audric Estime’s Broncos Career Ended After One Season
Denver selected Estime No. 147 overall in 2024 after a productive final season at Notre Dame. He rushed for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2023, averaging 6.4 yards per carry.
The Broncos were adding young offensive pieces around quarterback Bo Nix, and Estime arrived hoping to grow alongside that group.
“Hopefully, we can be together for a couple years and chase a championship together,” Estime said in Denver’s draft-day announcement.
Instead, his Broncos tenure lasted one season. He appeared in 13 games as a rookie, rushing for 310 yards and two touchdowns on 76 carries, before Denver waived him during its 2025 roster cuts.
Estime subsequently spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints. He produced 198 rushing yards and a touchdown in seven appearances for New Orleans in 2025, showing he could still contribute after his early exit from Denver.
More recently, Heavy covered his move to Minnesota’s practice squad and the Browns’ decision to bring him to Cleveland.
That latest opportunity produced a touchdown and a win. It still did not produce the steady NFL home Estime has been chasing since leaving Denver.
Former Denver Broncos Draft Pick Gets Dropped by Cleveland Browns