Things didn't go the way many Cleveland Browns fans hoped for. Kicks were missed, a key player went down with an injury, and the team proved that, offensively, they may not be as good as hoped. Yet, for the Browns' faithful, hope can come in a 5'8 package. While the team struggled, there was hope in the form of backup running back Dylan Sampson.
The 5'8, 200 lbs running back is a bit on the small side, as far as NFL players go, but he showed that he had every bit the strength of character to succeed in this league. Sampson took a huge bulk of the plays, doing more in the backfield than even Jerome Ford, the incumbent starter.
RB Dylan Sampson Was Among the Positives in Browns' Week 1 Loss
Sampson took 12 carries, six more than any other running back and exactly half of the team's total rushes. He only mustered 29 yards, but he led all Browns running backs in yards and yards per carry. The team as a whole didn't move the ball well on the ground, but Sampson really showed what he could do as a multi-use weapon.
While most running backs will be an occasional option out of the backfield, Sampson was a huge part of the passing attack. He was tied for fourth with eight targets, one shy of the team lead (nine), and he led the team in receptions for the game with eight. So not only did he convert every pass thrown to him, but he did so with ease.
He was second on the team in yards to boot, showing that not only can he catch the ball, but he can make plays with the ball in his hand. He really showed the ability to be a true dual-threat option that the Browns are desperately in need of. With the news that Quinshon Judkins has signed a contract with the team, it finally looks like the Browns may be shaping up to have a duel-threat combo in the backfield.
That is, if Ford doesn't have a say in that. As long as the Browns can actually get traction running the ball, then Sampson and the rest of the running backs may actually prove to be quite the group.