Over the course of the regular seasons’ first four games, a lot of things have been going right for the Cleveland Browns.
The ground game is not one of them.
So far, the Browns are 23rd in the league in rushing yards (93.8) and rushing yards per carry (3.7), but even those numbers feel a little misleading, as they’re aided by Deshaun Watson’s rushing totals.
If we focus only on running backs, the Browns are averaging just 59.8 rushing yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry.
Second-year back Quinshon Judkins has been struggling the most, as he’s gained just 177 yards on 59 carries for a 3.0-yard-per-carry average.
Luckily, he managed to score his first rushing touchdown of the season last Thursday night, right after Jaleel McLaughlin scored on a 28-yard scamper for Cleveland’s very first rushing touchdown of the season.
So, what can the Browns do to improve their ground game mess? Here are some options:
Stay patient with Judkins
This looks to be the course of action for the moment in Cleveland. Judkins was a highly touted prospect coming out of Ohio State, who the Browns picked up in the second round last year.
Judkins had a few promising games last year, including his first — and only — 100-rushing yard effort against the Vikings, as well as a three touchdown performance against the Dolphins and a two-score outing against the Raiders.
Nonetheless, when looking at the big picture, Judkins’ issues were evident since last season. He finished his rookie year averaging 59.1 yards per game and 3.6 yards per carry, so his current struggles — 44.3 rushing yards per game — shouldn’t be all that shocking.
If Judkins is on the verge of breaking out, he better do it soon, because Cleveland won’t be able to mask some of the other deficiencies on offense much longer without a run game.
Stir it up a bit in the backfield
Fellow second-year back Dylan Sampson was supposed to be featured prominently for the Browns, but a knee injury in Week 1 landed him on the IR and he won’t be eligible to come back before Week 6.
That has opened the door for Raheem Sanders and McLaughlin to get some work, but the yield has been all that great, either. Sanders has carried the ball just six times for 31 yards, while McLaughlin has rushed the ball just twice for 31 yards, too, including last week’s score.
The sample size is minimum, but at least Sanders and McLaughlin are doing a little bit more on limited opportunities in the run game. Judkins should remain the featured back, but look for Sanders and McLaughlin to get a little more involved going forward.
Bring somebody from the outside
Usually, a common hesitation when rotating backs has to do with reluctance to trust a back in the game when his pass protection isn’t all that solid.
That’s why signing a veteran street free agent or trading for another team’s back could lead to a better redistribution of carries, even if that player hasn’t been with the team at all.
Options aren’t precisely plentiful, though. Fan favorite Nick Chubb could’ve made sense, but he made his retirement official a few weeks back. Joe Mixon recently worked out for Seattle but won’t be signed for now. Former Brown Kareem Hunt is also a free agent waiting for a call. Other names that stand out include Antonio Gibson, Dameon Pierce and Miles Sanders, but neither really looks like a plug-n’-play solution.
As for the trade market, the Giants could have a couple of interesting targets in Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary, while the Bears could also look to move Roschon Johnson after Kyle Monangai’s recent breakout game. Tennessee’s Tony Pollard has also been mentioned as a potential trade target, as well.
Maybe Cleveland will look outside the organization for some help in the backfield, but don’t count on it happening too soon. The Browns’ probably want to see Sampson in action before they pull the trigger on any roster additions.
Meanwhile, Judkins, Sanders and McLaughlin will have to do better, because relying on Watson to keep the chains moving on the ground doesn’t seem like a great idea.
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