RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesAfter a brutal preseason loss against the Chicago Bears , the Cleveland Browns and newly hired head coach Todd Monken will head back to the drawing board this week.
One of the biggest concerns for the Browns' offense outside of the quarterback room heading into this offseason was the run game . Last year, Cleveland averaged 97.0 rushing yards per game, ranking 27th in the league. 2025 second-round pick Quinshon Judkins' season-ending injury had a major implication on the poor rushing attack, but despite his terrific play when healthy, the bellcow back averaged 3.6 yards per carry.
Still, Judkins does not deserve all the blame for the inefficiency on the ground. The Browns' offensive line was one of the worst run-blocking units in the NFL last season, finishing with an average PFF run-blocking grade of 61.7. However, the hope was for Monken to fix the run game with a new-and-improved offensive line this year, but Saturday's preseason matchup was not a promising sign for the rushing attack in 2026.
Browns' run game issues
Cleveland's run game, for the first time in a live setting under Monken, failed to consistently move the ball downfield for a majority of the contest. The offense ended the contest with 27 rushes for 108 yards for an average of four yards per carry. But if you take out the last drive from rookie Davon Booth with less than two minutes left, the Browns would have had 24 carries for 56 yards for an average of 2.3 yards per carry.
One of my biggest takeaways from watching the #Browns All-22 vs the Bears is that the offensive line got WORKED at the line of scrimmage in the run game. If you take out the last drive, the Browns would have finished with: - 24 carries/56 yards - 2.3 YPC - Not a single player…
— Dylan Feltovich (@dyfelt) August 16, 2026 In fact, if it were not for Booth's strong finish to the contest, rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion would have been the lone player to finish with double-digit rushing yards.
Cleveland's struggles on the ground during Saturday's contest were clearly amplified due to poor blocking in the trenches. Monken and the running backs found success running outside of the tackle, but the Bears ' defense was able to contain most run plays between the tackles. The offensive line failed to hold its ground, which prevented the running backs from reaching the second level of the field.
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— Dylan Feltovich (@DyfeltClips) August 16, 2026 In defense of the offensive line, Chicago did load the box with seven or eight players at once throughout the matchup, while some of Monken's tight formations allowed for the defense to key in on the run. But ultimately, the Browns' performance on the ground this year will come down to the offensive line and Monken's ability to set the unit up for success during the regular season.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns' run game issues put on full blast against Bears
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