The Cleveland Browns lost one of their key pieces just a handful of plays into the 2026 season. Backup running back Dylan Sampson will miss some time with a knee injury and has already been placed on Injured Reserve.
While Quinshon Judkins is the team's workhorse back, Sampson's pass-catching and explosiveness in the open field made him tailor-made for this offense, especially with quarterback Deshaun Watson not pushing the ball downfield.
But now that he'll be on the shelf for at least Cleveland's next four games, the Browns must find a third running back to complement Judkins and Raheim Sanders.
They have three obvious options to consider:
Jaleel McLaughlin gives Cleveland the easiest answer to its sudden running back problem
1. Roll with Jaleel McLaughlin
Prior to the season opener, the Browns added a crafty and widely underrated playmaker to their practice squad in former Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin. The 26-year-old is coming off of a season that saw him average 5.1 yards per carry and 6.8 yards per reception in limited action, and he should be able to fill Sampson's role if made active on Sundays.
The Browns signed McLaughlin to their active roster on Tuesday, which is a sign that he'll get the first crack at Cleveland's change-of-pace role.
McLaughlin doesn't have the physical profile of a workhorse running back, but he can be a situational guy in head coach Todd Monken's motion-heavy offense. His ability to force missed tackles and find daylight in tight spaces could come in handy.
2. Sign a veteran free agent
If the Browns don't fully trust McLaughlin, they could turn to a veteran, but this might not be the wisest call. The market is pretty underwhelming, and unless Nick Chubb decides to come out of retirement, there's not much to work with.
Kareem Hunt is another familiar face, but he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry last season and may not have much left in the tank. Other than that, Raheem Mostert, Austin Ekeler, and Antonio Gibson might be the only other proven options. The Browns can do better.
3. Poach Ahmani Marshall off the Panthers' practice squad
The Browns' RB3 competition came down to the wire. It seemed like momentum shifted after every practice and preseason game, with Sanders barely beating out Ahmani Marshall for the job.
The Browns could explore signing the familiar Marshall off the Carolina Panthers practice squad for some much-needed depth in the coming weeks.
Marshall spent portions of the 2025 season on Cleveland's practice squad. His familiarity with the personnel, blocking schemes, and offense would make him a solid plug-and-play option.
At the end of the day, the Browns' running game will struggle for as long as the passing game can't get going. There's no running back out there who can fix that for Monken.
But after losing one of their most explosive pieces, the Browns can't just rest on their laurels.
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