Good news has been hard to come by for the Browns’ backfield lately. Injuries have piled up at running back over the past week, forcing the front office to scramble for depth just days before one of the biggest games of the season. Every bit of reinforcement matters when a position group gets this thin. On Wednesday, the Browns finally got some help from within.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com shared the update that Dylan Sampson has been designated for return from IR.
“Browns RB Dylan Sampson (knee) has been designated for return from IR and will practice today,” Cabot posted.
#Browns RB Dylan Sampson (knee) has been designated for return from IR and will practice today
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) October 14, 2026
Dylan Sampson’s return could not come at a better time. Raheim Sanders was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury this week and will miss at least 4 games, and Quinshon Judkins was spotted in a walking boot on his right foot after the loss to the New York Jets.
Designating Sampson for return opens a 21-day practice window. The Browns can activate him at any point during that span, and if his knee responds well this week, he could become an option when the Baltimore Ravens visit on Sunday.
Sampson brings a different skill set than the other backs on the roster. The 2025 4th-round pick out of Tennessee is known for his quickness and burst, and he rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and 22 touchdowns in his final college season.
That kind of explosiveness has been missing from Cleveland’s ground game. The Browns rushed for just 96 yards against the Jets, and Todd Monken pointed to the run game as the root of the offense’s struggles after the loss.
His return would also round out a backfield that has been reshaped over the past few days. The Browns signed Audric Estime off the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad, and Jaleel McLaughlin remains available after breaking off a 28-yard touchdown run against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Adding Sampson to that mix would give Monken multiple options regardless of Judkins’ status.
The Browns will likely take a cautious approach with a player coming off a knee injury. Still, seeing Sampson back on the practice field is a welcome sign for a team searching for answers in its backfield, and how he looks this week could help shape the game plan against Baltimore.
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