Audric Estime UNC
Browns RB Audric Estime Opens Up About His Big Opportunity After Stepping Up 1
Audric Estimé had barely settled in with the Cleveland Browns before they needed him to handle a meaningful role. He arrived from the Minnesota Vikings with little time to learn a new offense, build chemistry with his teammates, and prepare for a divisional game. There was no long adjustment period waiting for him.
The opportunity came with pressure, too. The Browns had lost bodies in their backfield, and the offense needed someone who could make the most of his carries. The running back believed he was ready, even with only a few days to get comfortable in his new surroundings.
Audric Estimé Makes the Most of His First Browns Opportunity
Denver Broncos, Audric Estime
Jan 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Audric Estime (23) celebrates after a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Estimé scored a two-yard touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6, tying the game at 10-10 in the fourth quarter. The play capped a remarkable first week with the Browns, where he went from the Vikings’ practice squad to finding the end zone in his Browns debut.
Speaking about the opportunity, Estimé credited his preparation and the welcome he received from the locker room.
“It’s a blessing, honestly, to be able to play actual football. Just to come to a team like this. I feel like every team’s different, but the Browns locker room, you could tell it’s more of a tight-knit group led by great guys, and I’m just excited to be a part of this team. I prepared all week like I was going to be up, and I was gonna get a lot of carries, and I was going to have to be a guy that they call on. [Judkins and Sampson] were down, but I feel like it’s this next-man-up mentality. I was prepared. It took me five, six days to prepare, but the preparation didn’t start this week—it started the whole offseason. It started my whole life, but I’m just happy to be here and be a Brown. I knew I was going to get into the paint today.”
Browns RB Audric Estime opens up about his big opportunity, revealing how months of preparation and Cleveland’s tight-knit locker room helped him embrace the next-man-up mentality when the team needed him.
"It's a blessing, honestly, to be able to play actual football. Just to… pic.twitter.com/H42GVnmrXx
— BrownsNation.com (@BrownsNationcom) October 19, 2026
The Browns signed Estimé to their active roster on October 13. He arrived in Cleveland after getting the call from his agent and immediately began learning the playbook. His first practice came on October 14, leaving him only a handful of days to prepare for the Ravens.
He finished with 19 rushing yards on nine carries. The numbers were not eye-catching; however, the touchdown mattered in a tight game. The Browns RB had also carried himself through the week as if a heavy workload was coming.
Cleveland needed that mindset. Quinshon Judkins was unavailable because of an ankle injury, while Dylan Sampson and Raheim Sanders were also sidelined. Estimé suddenly had a chance to contribute much sooner than a practice-squad promotion might usually suggest.
The Browns head coach, Todd Monken, praised Estimé for handling an unusually quick transition, pointing out how suddenly the running back had gone from practice-squad work in Minnesota to scoring for Cleveland. The 23-year-old now has a chance to earn a larger role. For him, the touchdown was a reward for preparation that began long before the Browns called.