The Cleveland Browns showed promise at several uncertain positions during their Week 1 matchup against the Bengals, despite falling short in the final result.
The offense had an encouraging performance with veteran David Njoku leading the charge and rookie Dylan Sampson providing solid support behind him.
Sampson flashed the type of skills that suggest he could develop into a future RB1.
Rookie Quinshon Judkins still awaits his NFL debut, while Raheim Sanders currently holds the RB3 spot.
The depth chart appears stable heading forward, though one running back who didn’t make the final roster has landed elsewhere.
“Green Bay signed former Browns RB Pierre Strong Jr. to its practice squad,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Green Bay signed former Browns RB Pierre Strong Jr. to its practice squad.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 8, 2025
Strong entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2022. He spent two seasons in New England before joining Cleveland for the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.
Over 46 career games, he rushed for 499 yards on 99 carries with an impressive 5.0-yard average and two touchdowns.
The running back also contributed as a receiver with 26 catches for 193 yards. His best rushing season came in 2023 with 291 yards, while he set a career high with 14 receptions in 2024.
Strong impressed during this year’s preseason, rushing for 114 yards at a 6.3-yard clip.
Cleveland released Strong on an injury settlement after he suffered a concussion.
Beyond his offensive contributions, he proved valuable on special teams throughout his career. Strong recorded eight tackles and forced one fumble in 2023, adding three more tackles in 2024.
He also handled kickoff return duties, averaging 23.8 yards across 24 attempts. Strong accumulated 607 special teams snaps and 412 offensive snaps during his NFL tenure.
