The Cleveland Browns lost more than the game on Sunday against the New York Jets. The rushing attack was expected to flourish under head coach Todd Monken's smash-mouth style, and while the returns to this point have been disappointing, the situation might be going from bad to worse.
Starting running back Quinshon Judkins suffered an ankle injury that left him in a walking boot after the contest. His top backup, Raheim "Rocket" Sanders, also suffered an injury that will now earn him a stint on injured reserve. As a reminder, second-year man Dylan Sampson has been on IR after suffering an injury in the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. His status remains up in the air, though he's now eligible to return to practice if he's healthy enough.
The carnage left the Browns with one healthy running back — Jaleel McLaughlin — and in desperate need of another. Cleveland passed over Jaret Patterson on its own practice squad and instead poached Audric Estime from the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad to fill the spot.
The 23-year-old was a fifth-round pick by the Denver Broncos just two years ago, and he's an ideal replacement if Judkins indeed misses time.
Audric Estime could turn an opportunity in Cleveland into a much bigger role than expected
Estime has spent his three years in the league shuffling between Denver, the Philadelphia Eagles, the New Orleans Saints, and, most recently, Minnesota. For his NFL career, he's rushed 122 times for 508 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. He's also added 17 receptions for 130 yards.
In Estime, the Browns are clearly trying to balance out their stable of backs. McLaughlin is effective, though he stands just 5-foot-7 and weighs 187 pounds. Conversely, Estime is 5-foot-11 and weighs nearly 230 pounds. He profiles much more closely to Judkins and will likely take on the short-yardage role if he's pressed into action.
In his time at Notre Dame, Estime was wildly productive. He finished his college career with 373 rushes, 2,321 yards (6.2 yards per carry), and a whopping 29 touchdowns. Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, Pro Football Focus ranked him 123rd in the class. His 2023 PFF rushing grade of 94.2 was tied for third in the nation among more than 250 qualified rushers.
Despite its fifth-round investment, Denver curiously cut bait after just one season.
Cleveland may present a sneaky opportunity for Estime. If he is able to inject some juice into a run game that has been mostly dormant this season, it's not hard to envision Monken incorporating him into the game plan going forward. One man's injury is another's opening, after all.
In Week 6, the Browns will face off with the rival Baltimore Ravens. It won't be an easy ask, but if Estime is able to channel just some Derrick Henry vibes, he may stick around.
Add us as a preferred source on Google