Dylan Sampson

Career StatsD-

Year	Team	GP	Yards	TD	YPC
Career		15	175	—	2.7
2025		15	175	0	2.7

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Among RB contracts at this AAV tier, Dylan Sampson earns a D+ Contract Value Index (CVI). The rookie scale deal carries a $1.28M average annual value across four years, which is appropriate for a fourth-round pick, but the performance grade of D- tells you all you need to know about his first-year production—he posted 271 receiving yards and appeared in 15 games during the 2025 season, a light workload that offers little reassurance on his ability to earn playing time in a competitive NFL backfield. Fourth-round running backs on their initial contracts are almost always below-market value propositions; the real question is whether Sampson can grow into the role, and his rookie-year output suggests he hasn't yet. The CVI penalty here isn't about the salary itself—it's about the early performance gap and injury concerns that are limiting his immediate impact at a position where depth is plentiful and proved production moves the needle. Media coverage frames him as a cautiously optimistic developmental piece, with encouraging noise around his pass-catching profile and reported positive attitude, but the Alvin Kamara comparisons floating in the local media are premature expectations that his 2025 tape doesn't justify. At 21 years old in his second NFL season, Sampson has time to improve and justify the patient investment, but right now the contract delivers below-market returns on both performance and roster security.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the D band — a quick read on where Dylan's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Dylan Sampson is a 21-year-old rookie running back trying to carve out a role in Cleveland's crowded backfield. His early returns have earned a D- grade, well below expectations even by modest rookie standards. Most rookies at the position need time, but Sampson's production hasn't shown the flashes that signal future upside. His 2.69 yards per carry sits alarmingly below the NFL average of 4.10, and his 11.7 rushing yards per game is a fraction of the 55.0-yard league average. Those numbers place him among the least productive backs in the entire league this season, not just among rookies. There are no standout metrics to point toward as a foundation — the efficiency and volume concerns are equally troubling. His 2025 season grades out at an F, and at this stage, the trajectory raises legitimate questions about whether Sampson can develop into even a complementary back at the NFL level. The Browns will need to see dramatic improvement in yards after contact and decisiveness through gaps to justify continued investment in his development. If those gains don't materialize in year two, his roster spot becomes very difficult to defend.

How Dylan Compares at the Position

Dylan Sampson ranks 162nd of 175 graded running backs by performance. That slots Dylan between Kene Nwangwu (D-) just ahead and Tyler Badie (D-) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Dylan Sampson enters the 2026 season carrying a C+ sentiment grade — cautiously optimistic, but far from a groundswell of conviction. The loudest driver of his narrative is the Alvin Kamara comparison that has circulated among Browns fans and draft analysts, a flattering frame for a 21-year-old fourth-round pick that has given his pass-catching profile genuine credibility before he's proven much at the NFL level. That gap between perception and production is real: his D- performance grade from the 2025 season tells a sobering story, and 271 receiving yards across 15 games isn't the kind of output that sustains comparisons to one of the more dynamic dual-threat backs of the modern era. What's kept the narrative from souring is a combination of factors — his reported positive attitude amid limited opportunity, that standout performance against the Raiders when given expanded snaps, and the coaching staff's apparent belief in him as a complementary piece alongside Quinshon Judkins in a developmental backfield program. Cleveland's recent offseason activity, including additions like Malachi Corley and Jamari Thrash, signals a franchise building out its skill position depth rather than consolidating around a single piece, which reinforces Sampson's role as a developmental contributor rather than a featured name. The injury concerns and thin NFL resume are the anchors holding the sentiment ceiling down, and rightly so. This is a wait-and-see narrative — enough buzz to generate interest, not enough proof to generate belief.