BEREA, Ohio — The Browns’ revamped run game comes with one big caveat after the offseason program.
“We’re out here in pajamas right now,” running backs coach Duce Staley said when asked to assess the progress of rookie running back Quinshon Judkins. “When we put on some armor, I’ll let you know.”
Of all the things that are difficult to judge in the spring — and there are a lot of things difficult to judge in the spring — the run game might be the most difficult.
There’s little to no contact and no pads. There’s definitely no tackling.
“It’s hard to evaluate without pads on,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Running back’s a hard position to evaluate in these settings.”
Stefanski, in the past, has referred to the offseason program as a passing camp.
Still, the talk of this offseason has been revamping the run game, an area that abandoned the Browns last year after serving as the calling card of Stefanski’s offense over his first four seasons in Cleveland.
“For me it feels like a 2020, 2021 install of the outside zone with power schemes mixed in,” left guard Joel Bitonio said at the team’s charity golf tournament earlier this month, “which I think is a strength of what our O-line does.”
This is an offense that ranked fifth in rushing yards per play in 2020, first in 2021 and 11th in 2022. Last season was the first under Stefanski in which they ranked outside of the Top 10 in rushing attempts and just the second outside of the Top 5.
They lost their way in 2024 as part of their last-ditch effort to salvage the trade they made for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Now, with Watson shelved after a ruptured Achilles and unlikely to play a game for the Browns again, rebuilding the run game has been the theme of the offseason, with Stefanski taking over play-calling and installing Tommy Rees as his new offensive coordinator.
“All offseason we talked about just rebuilding the run game,” Staley said. “Going back to Day One when Kevin got there, going back to when he was in Minnesota, running wide zone, that’s one of our staples and that’s what we’re going to stick to and we have the backs for it.”
They even went out and hired an offensive line coach who came up under Bill Callahan, one of the architects of the Browns powerful run schemes until he left to go work with his son last season. The Browns brought in Mike Bloomgren to help get the team’s front back in order.
Bloomgren worked with Callahan with the Jets from 2008 to 2010.
“From Day One of (offseason program) when we got to talk about it, when (offensive coordinator) Tommy Rees went in there and installed the offensive identity and we talked about who we’re going to be and what things have to happen for us to be that team,” Bloomgren said, “I think you’ve seen a great level of excitement and you’ve also seen guys making a commitment to make those techniques work.”
On the personnel side, the Browns spent valuable draft capital to remake the backfield, picking Judkins No. 36 overall and Dylan Sampson at No. 126.
The two have the potential to form a dynamic backfield duo, with Judkins providing a Nick Chubb-like presence as the bell cow back and Sampson as a versatile change-of-pace.
“Two different guys,” Staley said. “I mean, Dylan is able to go play in the slot and also he’s able to go and play on third down and maybe sprinkle in a little second down. I’m not saying (Judkins) can’t play on third down, but I’m just looking at what we can do with Dylan as far as the receiver and we’ll be able to do a little something with (Judkins) at receiver too, but totally different.”
The two have very different running styles. Judkins is powerful with some of Chubb’s ability to put his foot in the ground and cut. Sampson is a chaotic runner who can accelerate through the line. He’s also spending time working with wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea to become a cog in a passing attack that will rely on heavier personnel like tight ends and running backs.
“(Sampson has been) meeting with C.O. in there and going over some of the receiver splits and routes and just being able to just take his game and expand it,” Staley said. “It’s been awesome.”
Stefanski has promised a more competitive and physical training camp than the past few seasons, something Staley welcomes.
“We got blitz pickup every day hopefully,” he said, “fingers crossed.”
That physicality is something that could help the Browns early in the season, especially if teams aren’t ready for it as they use September to really ramp up. The Browns could have an advantage with their veteran offensive line that knows this scheme well and a willingness to try to wear teams down over 60 minutes.
Staley, in his second season with the Browns, is thriving as part of this new world order in Berea.
“One of the things that I make sure they understand is every time they step on the grass it’s on,” he said, “every time you’ve buckle it up, it’s on. Every time you lace your shoes up, it’s on no matter who it is.”
The Browns will trade in their pajamas in a few weeks and the hope is their run game will wake back up.
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