As we head into Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns have three active running backs on the 53-man roster, and there isn't much clarity on who will get the majority of the work on Sunday. Jerome Ford is listed as the No. 1 running back, but there is an expectation that the rookie, Dylan Sampson, who is listed as No. ,2 will also get a decent amount of work.
Browns OC Tommy Rees wouldn't identify who's the team's short-yardage back: 'We have 3 backs we feel can get us a yard."
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) September 4, 2025
Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was asked on Thursday who the short-yardage back would be on Sunday, and his answer was, "We have 3 backs we feel can get us a yard." Does that mean we will also see a lot of Rheim Sanders, the third running back, on Sunday?
Absolutely, that should be the case. The Kevin Stefanski offense will be much more friendly to the running game, but none of these three backs have separated themselves or "earned" the starting spot. It's safe to say that Ford will start the game based on the depth chart, but this will be a massive opportunity for all three backs to earn their stripes. We've seen a lot of Ford the last few years, so seeing a guy like Sampson and Sanders get a few touches will be exciting to see on Sunday