The Cleveland Browns have a budding star in their backfield. Quinshon Judkins showed glimpses of greatness before his season-ending injury. His efficiency dipped in the second half of the season, but that was because opposing defenses could focus solely on him, given the team's non-existent passing game.
Judkins should thrive with Todd Monken now calling the shots. The new head coach also brought Baltimore Ravens offensive line coach George Warhop with him, and the Browns will likely use at least one of their first-round picks to bolster the offensive line.
However, fixing what's broken in Cleveland will take plenty of heavy lifting. Cleveland’s ground attack left plenty to be desired last season, and Monken will have to make plenty of adjustments to bring it back to life.
Browns’ running game problem just landed on Todd Monken’s desk
Per Sharp Football Analysis, Browns running backs gained 10 or more yards on 7.1 percent of carries, which ranked 30th in the league. The running backs were hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 32 percent of their carries, which also ranked 30th. Last but not least, the backs averaged just 0.4 yards before contact per carry, ranking dead last in the league.
Fortunately for the Browns, they hired just the right guy for the job. The Ravens' rushing offense was the best in the league in two of Monken's three years in Baltimore, and they even set several rushing-related records in 2024.
The Ravens led the NFL in yards per rush in multiple seasons. With Monken calling the shots, Derrick Henry got close to 2,000 rushing yards in 2024 and eclipsed 1,500 rushing yards in 2025. He also totaled 32 touchdowns in his two seasons under Monken.
Granted, Quinshon Judkins isn't Derrick Henry, but he's a crafty player with big-play potential on every carry. Paired with an explosive, pass-catching playmaker like Dylan Sampson and a revamped offensive line, the Browns' running game should come back to life in 2026.
The Browns still have major questions at the quarterback position, and they may have one of the worst QB rooms in the league. That said, a strong running game is any quarterback's best friend, and establishing the run should open up plenty of passing lanes.
This team needs to rebuild the offense almost from scratch. Todd Monken may not have been the flashiest or most exciting candidate on paper, but his long track record of success as an offensive guru and no-nonsense approach should have the fans looking forward to next season.