When examining the state of the running backs for the Cleveland Browns, the focal point is Quinshon Judkins. He’s the future of the running back position for Cleveland under new head coach Todd Monken, and fellow youngster Dylan Sampson could carve out a role as a change-of-pace back and legitimate pass-catching threat.
Beyond Judkins and Sampson, though, Cleveland may be in the market to add a more established player to the running back group to help replace the departing Jerome Ford. Along those lines, an unrestricted free agent who could help bolster the Browns' rushing efforts could be Tyler Allgeier.
Judkins ended the season with a 3.6 yards-per-carry average, but given how much penetration he often faced on runs, that was far from the whole story. He did bust his share of runs en route to 827 ground yards and seven touchdowns, and that was despite his season being trimmed down the stretch. Judkins suffered an ankle dislocation and fractured fibula, but he should reportedly be on track for 2026 training camp.
Allgeier was a player recently highlighted by Bleacher Report's Moe Moton as a free agent who could end up being disappointed come this free agency period, largely because of Allgeier's limitations as a receiving option (a la Najee Harris). With that caveat, perhaps Cleveland could be a landing spot for him, if the market isn't as robust as Allgeier seeks?
"Think back to the 2025 offseason," Moton wrote. "Najee Harris eclipsed 1,033 rushing yards in four consecutive years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he signed a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency. The physical ball-carrier averaged just 6.4 yards per catch and saw a significant drop-off in targets after his rookie term.
Like Harris, Tyler Allgeier has been unimpressive in a pass-catching role. Even before the Atlanta Falcons drafted Bijan Robinson in 2023, they rarely designed plays for him in the short passing game. He has 18 or fewer receptions in all four of his seasons."
Allgeier is not a household name to some Browns fans, but there might be some intrigue there. He’d provide Cleveland with another bruising runner to go with Judkins, and he’d be a viable additional short-yardage and red-zone option, if there's value to be had regarding his market price.
Moton believes Allgeier may have problems landing a $5 million-per-year offer with Travis Etienne, Kenneth Walker III and Rico Dowdle, among others, out there.
Tyler Allgeier could emerge as a sensible depth option behind Quinshon Judkins
Allgeier has functioned pretty well in what’s predominantly been a complementary role for the Atlanta Falcons. The former BYU Cougar has posted 2,876 rushing yards through four seasons with Atlanta, and has averaged 4.3 yards per carry in that time. He has been a nice option for the Falcons to go to in spelling Bijan Robinson.
Allgeier’s coming off a year where he registered 514 yards on 143 attempts, an average of 3.6. That was down some from his 2024 campaign, when he posted 644 yards with a YPC clip of 4.7, but it is worth mentioning that Allgeier’s eight rushing touchdowns in 2025 were a career-best.
Allgeier has been spelling Robinson since the latter was drafted in 2023, and the former could very well be seeking a larger carry share elsewhere. Allgeier played in 30 percent of Atlanta’s offensive snaps last season, with that clip having been 25 percent in 2024.
Allgeier could help Cleveland as an added big-bodied runner in stretches, but Allgeier is not much of a receiving threat. That would leave Sampson as the Browns' clear pass-catching back as more of an advantage target at the position. And that limitation for Allgeier could very well negate how much of an impact he might have with the Browns, with Judkins being more talented as a pure runner and open-field running threat.
Those things aside, if Allgeier’s market value is in the range of what Moton suggested, he might be a younger veteran that could provide reliable depth for spurts. There might be something to Cleveland potentially targeting an established running back that has proven to be a competent rotational contributor.
Granted a receiving threat such as Kenneth Gainwell, of whom Moton also mentioned, would likely be more impactful for the Browns’ situation. But it’s hard to believe Cleveland would be a true option for Gainwell, who had a career year with the Pittsburgh Steelers and may have more options.
All things considered, the Browns may just roll with Judkins and Sampson as being the primary running back options for next season. In the event both are healthy leading into 2026, they should have a good chance to level up.
However, Cleveland possibly pursuing a veteran running back via a team-friendly deal to have in the room could be sensible as well. It just will again depend from a cost standpoint if the market will bear fruit for the Browns, who are clearly prioritizing revamping their offensive line come free agency and the draft, and won’t be throwing much additional cap dollars at the RB position.