The Cleveland Browns have turned Dylan Sampson’s Week 1 knee injury into a significant early-season backfield change.
Cleveland placed Sampson on injured reserve Tuesday and promoted Jaleel McLaughlin from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. The IR move guarantees Sampson will miss at least four games, removing the Browns’ primary change-of-pace option behind Quinshon Judkins and forcing a quick reshuffle at both running back and kickoff returner.
The transaction is more consequential than a routine depth move because Sampson had established a defined role as a receiver and return option, while McLaughlin now enters the active roster with 41 games of NFL experience from his time in Denver.
Dylan Sampson will miss at least four games
Sampson injured his knee while returning a kickoff in the first quarter of Cleveland’s 34-10 Week 1 loss at Jacksonville. He returned two kicks for 64 yards before leaving the game and was ultimately ruled out.
Head coach Todd Monken said Monday that Sampson was still being evaluated. By Tuesday, the Browns had enough information to move him to injured reserve.
That designation means the second-year back cannot return until Cleveland has played at least four more games. Even if his rehabilitation progresses quickly, the Browns have to plan for an extended stretch without one of their more flexible offensive reserves.
FSN’s Week 1 Jaguars-Browns recap covered the broader problems Cleveland faced in the opener. Sampson’s injury now adds a personnel problem to an offense already trying to improve its efficiency before Week 2.
Jaleel McLaughlin moves onto the 53-man roster
Cleveland responded by signing McLaughlin from the practice squad to the active roster.
McLaughlin joined the Browns’ practice squad at the beginning of September after spending his first three NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos. Across 41 regular-season games, including nine starts, he rushed for 1,093 yards and three touchdowns while adding 59 receptions for 263 yards and four receiving scores.
That experience gives Cleveland a veteran option who has already handled third-down work, receiving assignments and rotational carries at the NFL level.
McLaughlin does not necessarily step directly into Sampson’s exact role. The Browns also have Raheim Sanders behind Judkins, and the coaching staff can divide responsibilities based on protection, receiving and special-teams needs.
But moving McLaughlin to the 53-man roster instead of simply elevating him for one game signals that Cleveland expects him to be part of the solution for more than a single Sunday.
Quinshon Judkins remains the centerpiece of the backfield
The Browns’ starting structure does not change at the top.
Judkins remains the lead runner, and Cleveland will continue building the rushing attack around him. The bigger question is how the Browns replace the versatility Sampson offered behind him.
Sampson caught 33 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2025. He also had enough open-field value to handle kickoff returns, which is where his Week 1 injury occurred.
That means the Browns are replacing more than backup carries. They need receiving snaps, return-game production and an emergency option if Judkins misses time during a game.
Sanders could handle a larger share of the traditional rushing work, while McLaughlin’s receiving experience gives Cleveland another way to redistribute the rest.
The Browns also added Eric Gray to the practice squad
Cleveland did not stop with the McLaughlin promotion.
The Browns also added running back Eric Gray to the practice squad, giving the organization another experienced body at the position while Sampson is unavailable. Gray spent his first three NFL seasons with the New York Giants after entering the league as a fifth-round pick.
The practice-squad addition matters because the Browns no longer have the same margin for another running back injury. Gray gives Cleveland another player who can learn the offense now and be elevated later if the active roster needs more depth.
The Browns also signed offensive tackles Obinna Eze and Xavier Truss and punter Wes Pahl to the practice squad while releasing defensive tackle Chris Williams and cornerback D’Angelo Ross.
Special teams have to be part of the replacement plan
Sampson’s injury happened on a kickoff return, and his absence creates an immediate special-teams question.
He produced 64 return yards on two attempts before leaving the Jacksonville game. Cleveland can replace those snaps with another skill player, but doing so may change how the team constructs its game-day active list.
That is one reason McLaughlin’s promotion should not be viewed only through the running back depth chart. Reserve backs often earn their Sunday value by contributing in several phases, and Cleveland now has to decide which combination of players best replaces Sampson’s offensive and special-teams responsibilities.
Week 2 becomes an early test of the new rotation
The Browns visit Tampa Bay in Week 2 with both teams looking for their first win.
Cleveland does not need McLaughlin to immediately become a high-volume runner. It needs a functional rotation behind Judkins that can protect the offense from becoming predictable and can absorb the snaps Sampson was expected to handle.
The Browns team page will be worth monitoring for additional roster or depth-chart changes because placing Sampson on IR guarantees this is not a one-week adjustment.
For now, the plan is clear: Judkins remains the lead back, Sanders has an opportunity for a larger role, and McLaughlin moves from practice-squad insurance to an active part of Cleveland’s backfield.