The Cleveland Browns opened the preseason with a game against the Carolina Panthers on Friday night, and most of the headlines were centered around Shedeur Sanders. Projected as a top quarterback prospect in April’s draft, Sanders rebounded after falling to the fifth round and had a successful debut, tossing a pair of touchdowns in the 30-10 victory.
But Sanders wasn’t the only player who stood out. Countless Browns are trying to play their way onto the roster for a team that’s desperate for talent after finishing 3-14 one year ago. It paved the way for a rookie running back to make his mark in the preseason opener and give coaches a tough decision as they cut their roster down to 53 players.
Browns Rookie RB Ahmani Marshall Makes His Case for a Roster Spot
The Browns' backfield has been flipped upside down this offseason, and it hasn’t had to do with what’s happened on the field. Nick Chubb’s departure to the Houston Texans left a big hole at running back, and the Browns’ attempt to fill it with running back Quinshon Judkins backfired after he was arrested for misdemeanor battery and domestic violence in July.
With Judkins waiving his right to a speedy trial and his status as an unsigned rookie, it opens an opportunity behind Jerome Ford and fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson. While Pierre Strong Jr. and Toa Taua are vying for a role, Ahmani Marshall made his case against the Panthers on Friday night.
Marshall didn’t put up eye-popping stats, carrying the ball eight times for 32 scoreless yards. But the Akron Beacon Journal’s Chris Easterling noted that it’s how he runs that should grab the attention of the coaching staff.
“[Marshall] doesn’t get cheated when he runs the ball,” Easterling wrote. “The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Appalachian State product may not make the initial roster, but…he’s going to make it tough to let him go. Marshall showed that in how he ran the ball against the Panthers, which was an extension of how he has run it all training camp. He’s making every yard he gains like an alley fight.”
A fight is an accurate term to describe what could happen in the Browns' backfield over the next three weeks. The Browns have no incentive to sign Judkins, considering his pending legal status, and Ford is more of a change-of-pace back despite posting a career-high 5.4 yards per carry last season. Sampson also showed he’s capable of carrying the load, earning SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors while running for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns last season.
Strong’s work on special teams could help him earn the third RB role, but Marshall could make it difficult if he has a breakout performance over the final two games. Even then, he could be making his case to earn a role on the practice squad, which is a storyline that will play out as roster cuts loom.