With the Nick Chubb era coming to a painful end and Jerome Ford at the end of his rookie contract, the Cleveland Browns left nothing to chance during the 2025 NFL Draft. They used a high draft pick, No. 36 overall via the Jacksonville Jaguars, to select Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins, and then doubled down early in the fourth round with Tennessee Volunteers standout Dylan Sampson.
It’s hardly a surprise that one year later, Cleveland’s depth chart features both Judkins and Sampson at the top. New head coach Todd Monken figures to feature the running game heavily in 2026, and the Browns’ pair of second-year backs are poised to lead their backfield early and often.
But after the team passed on adding a veteran running back in free agency, a lingering question remains ahead of training camp. Who will be Cleveland’s No. 3 running back behind Sampson? And is Raheim Sanders’ roster spot as secure as fans have been led to believe?
Cleveland quietly signed a trio of rookie running backs following the 2026 draft, and they could end up competing for more than just spots on the practice squad when all’s said and done.
In our latest Dawg Fight, a series chronicling the 12 most important position battles of Monken’s first training camp, let’s dig deeper into an RB3 battle that could come down to one key factor: roster flexibility.
The Dawg Fight for RB3: Can Raheim Sanders lead wire to wire?
Sanders will enter training camp as the favorite at RB3 for good reason. He has the kind of traits NFL teams look for in a depth running back, with good size (230 pounds), contact balance, and short-yardage upside. He also has excellent hands as a converted wide receiver in college.
But the Browns certainly weren’t all-in on Sanders during the 2025 season. He was active for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, but was a healthy scratch from there after Judkins got his contract situation resolved and made his debut in Week 2. Sanders was notably behind veteran Trayveon Williams on the depth chart before injuries to Judkins, Sampson, and Ford led to him getting snaps from Week 16 on.
Cleveland initially acquired Sanders via waivers, so he’s still on the original UDFA contract he signed with the Chargers following the 2025 draft. If he remains on the roster, he’ll cost the Browns about $1 million this year and another $1.1 million in 2027. None of that money is guaranteed, so the commitment is minimal and the Browns could certainly cut ties this summer if a better (and even cheaper) option emerges.
The top contenders for the Browns’ RB3 job
Raheim Sanders
- Why he can win the job: Sanders isn’t only the favorite, but he’s the most pro-ready of his fellow contenders. He’s got the ideal frame to handle early-down work if called upon, and the hands to be a sneaky weapon in the passing game. He’s also a candidate to mix in on short-yardage and goal-line situations. He only averaged 3.4 yards per carry on 27 total attempts for the Browns in 2025, but his lone touchdown came in the season opener against the Bengals on a fourth-down carry from the 1 yard line.
- Why he can lose the job: Special teams. The Browns carried Sanders throughout the season, but in the four games he was active for, he didn’t log a single special teams snap. He only played 14 total snaps on special teams in college, per Pro Football Focus. Monken could prioritize more versatility from his depth positions like RB3, and that could lead to Sanders getting edged off the 53-man roster.
Ahmani Marshall
- Why he can win the job: The undrafted rookie out of Appalachian State has a similar profile to Sanders at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, but his willingness to do the dirty work on special teams could endear him most to Monken. He was a mainstay on the Mountaineers’ punt and kickoff coverage teams in college. He was also one of the Browns’ standout running backs during the 2025 preseason, rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown in three games.
- Why he can lose the job: The Browns waived Marshall twice last season, including in late October, and both times he ended up signing back with their practice squad. He signed a bottom-of-the-barrel, $885,000 futures contract to stay with the team back in January. If the competition is close between Sanders and Marshall, the salary cap savings are minimal enough that the team could choose to cut the player it feels has the best chance to end up back on the practice squad. That player is Marshall.
Davon Booth
- Why he can win the job: Speed. Booth ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at Mississippi State’s Pro Day, and would offer the Browns a more dynamic two-way threat in the RB3 spot. He also handled 19 kickoff returns over his three collegiate seasons, offering some potential sleeper upside at a major area of need.
- Why he can lose the job: Lack of size and physicality. Smaller running backs could be at a disadvantage in the rugged AFC North division. At 5-foot-10, 192 pounds, Booth’s game might be too similar to Sampson’s to justify carrying him on the 53-man roster.
TJ Harden
- Why he can win the job: College production. Harden piled up some incredible stat lines over his three seasons at UCLA and one year at SMU, compiling over 2,400 total rushing yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging a hair under 5 yards per carry. He also caught 82 passes as a legitimate threat out of the backfield. His size and speed profiles fall right within the sweet spot for an ideal change-of-pace back.
- Why he can lose the job: He’s been off the NFL radar. Harden didn’t receive an invite to the scouting combine, went undrafted, and signed with the Browns for just $25,000 in guarantees. He’s a roster longshot who’s more of a downhill mauler than a true game-changer out of the backfield. He’ll have to prove that his impressive college numbers weren’t a fluke before getting a serious look at a roster spot.
The X-factors that could make or break the Browns’ RB3 competition
The waiver wire
The Browns claimed Sanders following initial roster cuts last summer, and they’ll have a high waiver priority once again this August. It’s possible that Sanders’ top competition for the RB3 job isn’t yet on Cleveland’s roster.
Will the Browns carry a fullback?
Cleveland signed veteran Michael Burton this offseason as a potential stop-gap option at fullback. The team could also give seventh-round draft pick Carsen Ryan some serious looks at the position during training camp. If Burton does indeed crack the 53-man roster, it could change the calculus on how the Browns approach the RB3 position.
Prediction: Raheim Sanders holds off Ahmani Marshall for Browns’ RB3 role
No surprises here. Sanders has been earmarked for this role throughout the offseason, and while we expect Marshall to make things uncomfortable this summer, the rookie feels like a lock to clear waivers and land back on the Browns’ practice squad ahead of Week 1.
Sanders checks just about every box for Monken, which is probably why the team was fine with letting Ford walk as a free agent this offseason. He’s got the right blend of speed, physicality, and hands to provide the injury insurance Cleveland needs behind both Judkins and Sampson.
The special teams piece is an obvious concern, but Sampson’s work in the kick return game should mitigate that impact. Marshall’s experience in that area makes him a quality No. 4 option who could be elevated on game days if the Browns need extra bodies on coverage teams.
It’s too soon to call Sanders a lock. An injury setback this summer could lead to him getting nudged off the initial roster altogether. But all things being equal, the Browns will enter camp with a solid top three of Judkins, Sampson, and Sanders.
It will take a monster training camp from one of Cleveland’s rookie running backs to change that pecking order.
Fight card: RB3
- Leader: Raheim Sanders
- Challengers: Ahmani Marshall, Davon Booth, TJ Harden
- Projected winner: Sanders
- Confidence level: 4.5 out of 5
— The next Dawg Fight: TE2 (Monday, July 20)
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