The Cleveland Browns waived running back Audric Estime on Monday, ending a brief and limited stay with the team.
Estime saw action in only one game during his time in Cleveland, carrying the ball nine times for 19 yards and scoring a touchdown.
The move, announced by the Browns, closes a short chapter for the 23-year-old, who arrived in mid-October as the Browns sought immediate depth in a running back room hit by injuries.
Estime joined the active roster on October 13 after the Browns signed him off the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. That transaction came alongside the placement of Raheim Sanders on injured reserve with a hip injury.
At the time, Cleveland was dealing with other absences in the backfield, including issues involving Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson.
Estime, who had previously spent time with the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints, provided a temporary option while the group sorted itself out.
He wore No. 36 and made his Browns debut in a Week 6 win over the Baltimore Ravens, where he found the end zone on one of his limited touches.
He was later inactive for the following week’s game against the Tennessee Titans as healthier options returned to the lineup.
The Notre Dame product entered the NFL as a fifth-round selection by the Broncos in the 2024 draft.
At Notre Dame, he emerged as a productive power runner, highlighted by a junior season in which he rushed for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns. His professional path has been more fragmented.
With Denver in 2024 he appeared in 13 games and posted 76 carries for 310 yards and two scores. A
fter being waived the following summer, he landed briefly on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad before signing with the Saints, where he played in seven games in 2025 and added 46 carries for 198 yards and another touchdown.
A September 2026 injury settlement with New Orleans led to a short stint on the Vikings practice squad before Cleveland claimed him.
At 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds, Estime profiles as a between-the-tackles back who can absorb contact and contribute in short-yardage situations.
His overall NFL totals prior to joining the Browns stood at roughly 122 carries for 508 yards and three touchdowns, along with 17 receptions. While the numbers reflect solid physical tools and college production, consistent opportunity has been harder to come by across multiple stops.
With the waiver, Estime returns to the open market after just a few weeks in Cleveland.
The Browns continue to manage a crowded and injury-affected running back group that has seen frequent roster adjustments this season. For Estime, the short tenure adds another entry to a young career still searching for a stable role.
