Roster moves early in the week often say more than any injury report. When a team adds a player at a specific position on a Monday, it usually signals concern about the health or production of the players already there. Front offices rarely make those decisions without a reason. The Browns made one of those moves on Monday, bolstering a backfield that suddenly looks thin.
Jordan Schultz reported the Browns have signed Audric Estime off the Vikings practice squad.
“Sources: The #Browns are signing RB Audric Estime off the #Vikings practice squad to their 53-man roster. The 23-year-old Estime brings 508 career rushing yards, 130 receiving yards and 3 TDs to Cleveland,” Schultz wrote.
Sources: The #Browns are signing RB Audric Estime off the #Vikings practice squad to their 53-man roster.
The 23-year-old Estime brings 508 career rushing yards, 130 receiving yards and 3 TDs to Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/cN57eboBz3
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 12, 2026
The timing is hard to ignore. Quinshon Judkins was spotted in a walking boot on his right foot after Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets, and Dylan Sampson is already on injured reserve. Bringing in Audric Estime gives the Browns another option if Judkins is forced to miss time.
Estime fits the physical style Todd Monken wants from his running game. At 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds, he is a downhill runner built for early downs and short-yardage situations, 2 areas where the Browns have struggled.
He has been efficient in limited opportunities. Estime has averaged 4.2 yards per carry over 2 seasons, and his career rushing success rate of nearly 52% is well above the mark Judkins has posted this year, albeit in a much smaller sample.
He also brings some value as a receiver. Estime caught 12 of his 13 targets for 103 yards with the New Orleans Saints last season, adding another dimension to a backfield that already includes pass-catching options in Raheim Sanders and Jaleel McLaughlin.
His road to Cleveland has been a winding one. The Denver Broncos selected him in the 5th round of the 2024 draft out of Notre Dame, where he ran for more than 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns in his final season, and he has since passed through New Orleans and the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad.
For the Browns, the move is a low-cost way to address a clear need. Signing Estime allows Andrew Berry to strengthen the position without giving up draft capital.
He is unlikely to take over the backfield right away, but Estime could carve out a meaningful role if Judkins is limited when the Baltimore Ravens visit on October 18. For a team that has struggled to run the football and is dealing with a growing injury list, a fresh, physical runner could make a difference sooner than expected.
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