Looking at the rest of the backs on the Browns’ roster.
In Part 1 of our running back preview for the Cleveland Browns, we looked at the team’s top three backs, including a pair of rookies. In Part 2, we look at the other two running backs in camp, as well as the team’s lone fullback candidate.
4. Pierre Strong Jr. – Backup RB
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 215 lbs | Age: 26
Experience: 4 years | College: South Dakota State
Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images
Sometimes, it’s easy to forget how high some of these guys were drafted and how young they are. In Part 1, we were busy talking up the potential of Dylan Sampson, but Pierre Strong Jr. was a fourth round pick by the Patriots in 2022 and is now in the final year of his rookie contract.
Strong has only seen limited duty with the Browns over the past two seasons. In 2023, he had 63 carries for 291 yards (4.6 YPC). Last year, he had 26 carries for 108 yards (4.2 YPC). He’s also shown to be a capable receiving back. But even with the injuries to Nick Chubb, it seemed clear that Cleveland never viewed him as a starting-caliber back, based on his lack of reps.
Still, he’s found a way to stay on the back end of the depth chart. You never know what can happen in camp, though — although Quinshon Judkins is the starter, will a roster spot open up if Jerome Ford is traded? Or, what is Dylan Sampson doesn’t have the best training camp, or someone suffers an injury? That’s how I’m viewing Strong heading into this year’s camp — he’s the insurance back in case something goes wrong; otherwise, I think he’ll be hitting the waiver wire.
Final Roster Odds: 20%
5. Ahmani Marshall – Undrafted RB
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 225 lbs | Age: 23
Experience: Rookie | College: Appalachian State
Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images
Ahmani Marshall is one of the Browns’ rookie undrafted free agents from this season. As far as size goes, he takes the crown of the biggest back in camp at 6-1, 225 lbs. He didn’t have a ton of reps in college, but saw his most action as a senior at Appalachian State, where he ran 149 times for 713 yards (4.8 YPC) and 7 touchdowns to go along with 11 catches for 71 yards.
Marshall was Dane Brugler’s 107th-ranked back in this year’s class. He isn’t known for his agility, but could be evaluated as a short-yardage back, something we all know Kevin Stefanski has utilized in the past when you think of Kareem Hunt and (to a lesser degree) D’Onta Foreman. I don’t think that’ll be enough to warrant a roster spot for Marshall, but he’s still competing for a spot on the practice squad.
Final Roster Odds: <5%
6. Troy Hairston – Fullback
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 245 lbs | Age: 26
Experience: 3 years | College: Central Michigan
Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images
It’s hard to remember that the Browns had a dedicated fullback on the roster from 2020-2021 in Andy Janovich. The following season, in 2022, Troy Hairston signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent to compete with Janovich for Houston’s fullback job. Hairston won the job, and Janovich later retired.
Hairston had actually converted to fullback out of college, where he was a linebacker. With the Texans in 2022, he caught 5 passes for 19 yards and also served as a special teamer. A herniated disc kept him out for all of 2023, and in 2024, he spent most of the season on the Texans’ practice squad.
Heading into camp, it’s difficult to be optimistic about Hairston’s odds of making the roster. However, he should come with an asterisk, because you never know if it’s a dedicated position that head coach Kevin Stefanski will want back in his offense. If it is, then the question is, do you have Hairston fulfill it, or do you just have a tight end like Blake Whiteheart pull double duty again like he did last year? The latter scenario is my guess, but we’ll see how the fullback utilization goes in camp.
Final Roster Odds: <5%