Browns needs to avoid this RB prospect at all costs after 2024 NFL Combine

It's no secret the Cleveland Browns need running back help this coming season. Nick Chubb, who was lost to a torn ACL and MCL, isn't expected to be ready by Week 1. If that remains the case, it leaves Jerome Ford as the starter until he returns.

Ford, who replaced Chubb for 15 games in 2023, had 813 yards and four touchdowns but those numbers were misleading. When his eight breakaway runs were removed, he offered a mere 2.8 yards per attempt.

That's why Cleveland is expected to go after someone in the 2024 NFL Draft capable of starting in place of Chubb but also providing them with a solid insurance plan going forward. One name that was thrown around as a possibility was Audric Estime of Notre Dame.

Measuring in at 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds, Estime looked the part of an NFL running back. He had the production to match but after the 2024 NFL Combine, he's someone who should no longer be on Cleveland's radar.

Why the Browns need to avoid Audric Estime

We're all guilty of putting too much stock in the 40-yard dash — which might even lead to Xavier Worthy going far too early in the upcoming draft. But there's some importance to the drill.

Teams that have concerns about a player's speed can often get confirmation and that was the case with Estime who put up a 4.72 in the 40-yard dash.

Estime put enough film out there to prove he can play despite the upsetting time in the 40-yard dash. And perhaps he will overcome it and be a solid producer in the NFL. But the Browns shouldn't be the team to roll the dice. Their roster is too strong to be held back again by an underwhelming ground game, so this is one player they should skip.

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