The Browns’ answer to a sputtering run game and a fresh injury hit came quickly on Monday: Cleveland added another back to the 53-man roster, bringing in Audric Estime from the Vikings’ practice squad.
It’s a clear attempt to steady a rushing attack that looked stuck in neutral during Sunday’s 17-12 loss to the New York Jets. The Browns didn’t wait around after Quinshon Judkins was hurt in that game. Instead, they moved to bolster a room that was already thin.
The 23-year-old Estime arrives with 508 career rushing yards, 130 receiving yards and 3 TDs. He’s logged 20 NFL games so far and has carried the ball 122 times for those 508 yards.
His path to Cleveland has moved fast: he was with the New Orleans Saints before being cut from injured reserve a few weeks ago, then led the Saints in preseason rushing. A little over a week ago, the Vikings added him to their practice squad.
Now he’s on the Browns’ active roster.
Cleveland’s depth chart needed the help. Dylan Sampson is already on injured reserve after a knee injury in Week 1, leaving the Browns to piece things together behind Judkins. Raheim Sanders and Jaleel McLaughlin remain available, but neither has given Cleveland much to build on, aside from McLaughlin’s touchdown against the Steelers.
The numbers tell the story of how thin things have gotten. Deshaun Watson, at 31 and playing quarterback, is the team’s second-leading rusher, and he trails Judkins by just 54 yards.
Estime brings two years of NFL experience into the mix. He began his career with the Broncos, appearing in 13 games there, before spending seven games with the Saints. Cleveland doesn’t view this as a cure-all for its ground game, but the move gives the Browns a new option to evaluate and possibly lean on if they want any real traction on the ground.
Judkins’ injury is not expected to keep him out for long, though the Browns may choose to ease him back after the significant injury he dealt with last season slowed him during the offseason. With Baltimore on deck this Sunday, Estime has a week to get comfortable with Cleveland’s playbook and settle into the offense.
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