They may not be Nick Chubb, but Browns banking on Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson to carry the load.
The Cleveland Browns are entering a new era at running back in 2025.
Nick Chubb, who was the league’s best running back for five seasons, remains a free agent and is currently not in the team’s plans after consecutive seasons cut short by injuries.
Related: Surprising Jerome Ford, Nick Chubb data from 2024
Jerome Ford remains on the roster, but his future appears to be trending downward after the Browns reworked his contract earlier this month.
In their place are rookies Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, who combined last season to rush for 2,551 yards and 36 touchdowns.
The Browns are hosting their three-day rookie minicamp this weekend in Berea, and on Friday Judkins and Sampson met with the media and discussed sharing the workload this fall. It is a situation that both players are familiar with as Judkins teamed with TreVeyon Henderson at Ohio State, while Sampson did not become a full-time starter at Tennessee until last season.
While the NFL was once a league where a team could rely on one dominant back to carry the load, that is no longer the case, as Sampson pointed out on Friday:
“I think this is the blueprint of the league, the best way it works with running backs. It’s a long season, so you want as many people as you can to go in there and split reps and do good for the team, that keeps everybody fresh. You see it all across the league, and I think we have an opportunity to do that here.”
Having another productive running back in the room is a positive, according to Judkins, who referenced his lone season with the Buckeyes as proof:
“It just was one of those great positions to be in where you have another guy in the room where you both can contribute to the team and not be taxing on your legs, be able to be available at the same time and stay healthy at the same time, be able to produce.”
It is going to be hard to get used to the idea of Chubb not being around the Browns, especially since his time has been cut short by injuries.
But it will be easier on the Browns if Judkins and Sampson can both perform up to expectations and give the team a two-back system that can get the running game back on track after a rough couple of seasons.