The Cleveland Browns have added running back Audric Estime to their 53-man roster, signing him off the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad as reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The move comes at a time when the Browns are navigating a series of injuries in their backfield. Dylan Sampson is currently on injured reserve, while both Quinshon Judkins and Raheim Sanders dealt with knocks during the team’s Week 5 contest against the New York Jets.
Estime’s arrival provides depth and a proven power-running option as the season progresses.
Estime, 23, emerged as a standout during his college career at Notre Dame, where he spent two seasons as a starter. His junior year in 2023 proved particularly memorable.
That season, he carried the ball 210 times for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per attempt while starting all 12 games.
Those 18 rushing scores set a new single-season record for the Fighting Irish, surpassing the previous mark of 17 that had been shared by Allen Pinkett in 1984 and Vagas Ferguson in 1979.
His yardage total ranked fifth in program history, and he earned second-team All-American recognition along with Notre Dame Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Over his full college tenure, he accumulated 2,321 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns.
Selected by the Denver Broncos with the 147th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Estime signed a four-year rookie contract worth $4.359 million that included a $339,124 signing bonus.
After appearing in 13 games as a rookie and posting 310 rushing yards with two touchdowns, he was waived by Denver during the following year’s roster cuts.
He briefly joined the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad before being released, then caught on with the New Orleans Saints.
In 2025, he played in seven games for New Orleans, rushing 46 times for 198 yards at a 4.3-yard average with one score and adding 12 receptions for 103 yards on 13 targets.
The Saints later released him with an injury designation in late September, after which he landed on the Vikings’ practice squad.
Now with the Browns, Estime has a chance to contribute in a depleted running back room. His combination of size at 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds, college production, and recent NFL experience gives Cleveland another physical presence to complement the remaining healthy backs.
Whether he earns a regular role or primarily provides depth will depend on how the injuries evolve and how he performs in practice and limited opportunities.
For a player who once rewrote the record book in South Bend, the opportunity in Cleveland offers a fresh start in a situation that needs immediate help.
