The Browns finally gave their run game something to build on in Week 7, and now comes the real examination.
Cleveland’s 5-2 start to the 2026 season has come with offensive growing pains, and the biggest frustration has been the ground attack. The plan in Cleveland has been clear from the start: make the run game the backbone. That hasn’t happened consistently yet.
Against the Tennessee Titans, though, the Browns looked much closer to the version they want to be. They piled up a season-high 183 rushing yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry in the win. Quinshon Judkins led the way, putting together his best outing of the year with 17 carries for 96 yards, a 5.6 average, and two touchdowns.
It was the kind of performance that made Cleveland’s offense look far more complete. But there’s an obvious caveat: Tennessee entered the game with the NFL’s 26th-ranked rush defense and was giving up 131.1 rushing yards per game. So while the Browns took a step forward, it doesn’t mean the problem is solved.
That’s what makes Sunday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers such a telling one. If Cleveland wants real proof that the run game has turned a corner, it has to do it again against a defense that has been much sturdier against the run.
Pittsburgh allows just 91 rushing yards per game, which ranks seventh in the NFL, and its 3.7 yards allowed per carry sits sixth league-wide. That’s a serious test, and a much different challenge than the one the Browns faced last week.
The first meeting between these teams in Week 4 showed how hard it can be to get rolling on the ground against the Steelers. Cleveland finished with 112 rushing yards on 27 carries, good for 4.1 yards per carry, but that number was inflated by Jaleel McLaughlin’s one carry for a 28-yard touchdown. Judkins managed 17 carries for only 53 yards, a 3.1-yard average.
If the Browns can generate something closer to what they produced against Tennessee, it would do more than just improve their chances on Sunday. It would mark the point where Cleveland can confidently say the run game is no longer a question.
And if that happens, the offense gets a whole lot more dangerous from here.
In Other News...
Browns Suddenly Face A Jared Verse Decision They Never Expected
When the Browns made the Myles Garrett trade, Jared Verse was supposed to be part of the long-term payoff, the kind of premium edge presence that can anchor a defense for years. Now the conversation around him has shifted in a way Cleveland probably did not anticipate, because Verse is moving toward the point where the team has to start thinking about the fifth-year option that comes with his rookie deal.
Jack Duffin, the Browns' salary cap expert, has floated the possibility that Cleveland could decline that option if Verse's play does not rebound. The financial angle is a big one, with the projection already pointing to a fully guaranteed $27.9 million in 2028, and it adds another layer to a roster-building question the Browns may not want to answer this soon. If the concern holds, defensive end could become a priority as early as the 2027 draft. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Are Split On One Risky Answer To Their QB Future
The Browns have given themselves a lot to think about with a 5-2 start and the AFC North lead, but the most complicated question in Cleveland still sits under center. Deshaun Watson has been uneven enough to leave his long-term standing uncertain, and with free agency looming after the season, fans are already looking past this year and wondering what the next quarterback move should be.
One idea getting traction in some corners is a swing at Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, even though his season has not matched his usual standard. It is the kind of big-name speculation that naturally divides a fan base, especially for a team in position to compete right now, but the path to making it happen looks slim. Herberts no-trade clause and Clevelands current success make a deal before the 2027 offseason feel unlikely, even if the conversation is already underway. [Read more 🡒]
Browns May Face A Tough Shedeur Sanders Decision Before The Deadline
With the Colts shifting into sell mode after moving Quentin Nelson and DeForest Buckner and parting ways with general manager Chris Ballard, the quarterback market around the deadline is getting a fresh look. Cleveland has a potentially interesting name sitting behind Deshaun Watson in Shedeur Sanders, and the buzz is that Indianapolis could be among the teams to at least explore a deal.
For the Browns, the question is less about whether Sanders has value and more about whether they want to give up on a developmental arm this soon. Cleveland does have Watson entrenched as the starter, but any interest from a rebuilding Colts side could force the Browns to weigh immediate roster flexibility against the long-term upside Sanders still represents. [Read more 🡒]