The Cleveland Browns' run game was supposed to help them survive their Week 1 matchup against the Jaguars. Instead, they finished with just 87 total rushing yards, led by quarterback Deshaun Watson with 38, and lost the game 34-10. Last year's second-round pick Quinshon Judkins, pegged by many as a potential breakout candidate in 2026, finished with just 33 rushing yards on 12 attempts and 17 receiving yards, while wide receiver KC Concepcion posted the third-most rushing yards on the team (15).
One player who was supposed to help in that department was second-year back Dylan Sampson, who the team took in the fourth round last year. But he left Sunday's game with a knee injury after returning a couple of kickoffs, and on Tuesday, the team officially placed him on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the Browns added Jaleel McLaughlin to the roster.
More news: Sean Payton Assigns Blame After Broncos’ Blowout Loss to Chiefs More news: Insider Names Top 2 Teams to Watch for Joey Porter Jr Trade Sampson entered the season as the RB2 behind Judkins, coming off a solid rookie season in Cleveland. He finished with 175 rushing yards, 271 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns across 15 games in 2025, impacting the game primarily as a pass-catching back. It's a brutal loss for a player just entering his second NFL season, but McLaughlin is a nice pickup to help offset it.
After going undrafted in 2023, McLaughlin spent his first three seasons in Denver, racking up 1,093 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 226 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, along with 263 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. His best season came as a rookie, when he rushed for 410 yards and a touchdown on 76 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, and added 160 receiving yards and two receiving scores. He served more of a complementary role during his time in Denver and was eventually phased out by younger backs.
But he's still an explosive, change-of-pace back who can make defenses pay in open space, a skill set that should complement Judkins well and give Cleveland another serviceable option in the backfield. More news: Jets Get Bad News on $40 Million Man After Injury Scare
Extract — continue reading at the source.
