It’s another week, and it’s another day for the Cleveland Browns to adjust the practice squad ahead of a game. In the Week 5 game, running back Raheim Sanders suffered a hip injury, and it is series enough that he was placed on the reserve/injured list with a designation to return.
As such, the Browns have signed former Denver Broncos tailback Audric Estime off of the practice squad of the Minnesota Vikings, adding him to the 53-man roster. The team previously scooped up running back Jaleel McLaughlin off waivers from the Broncos at the end of training camp, and he has already produced a touchdown as a member of the active roster.
Browns Fine-Tune Practice Squad yet Again
In addition to inking Estime to the 53-man roster, the team signed tight end Devin Culp and offensive guard Vershon Lee to the practice squad, while cornerback Myles Bryant and wide receiver James Proche II were each released from the practice squad.
Estime was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He appeared in 13 games with the Broncos, carrying 76 times for 310 yards and two touchdowns, an average of 4.1 yards per game. He fumbled twice, and he was credited with one lost fumble. He also secured five receptions for 27 yards on five targets.
In 2025, he signed with the Saints, and he appeared in seven games running 46 times for 198 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.3 yards per tote. He added 12 receptions for 103 yards on 13 targets. So, if he appears with the Browns, it will be his third NFL team in three seasons.
The move to add Estime was precipitated by the loss of Sanders, who landed on the reserve/injured list due to a hip injury suffered in Week 5. He had nine carries for 43 yards, good for 4.8 yards per attempt, while recording 11 receptions for 74 yards on 12 targets through his first five games.
Sanders was also a vital part of the kick return game, posting 293 yards on 10 attempts this season, including a 74-yard return in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It appears wide receiver Malachi Corley will get first crack at replacing Sanders on kick returns, as he had three kick returns for 74 yards against his former team, the Jets, after Sanders left injured.
