Cleveland Browns add RB Rocket Sanders via waivers

The Cleveland Browns have claimed running back Rocket Sanders off of waivers, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. This comes after Sanders was released by the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday amid 53-man roster cuts.

Sanders signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chargers this offseason out of South Carolina. He totaled 28 carries for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the preseason.

The Browns 53-man roster includes just two running backs in Jerome Ford and rookie Dylan Sampson. Sanders will likely join the team’s practice squad and provide depth behind those two backs in case of injury.

Sanders had a standout year during his final college season with the Gamecocks in 2024, amassing 881 rushing yards, 316 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns in 12 appearances. For his efforts, Rocket Sanders was named an All-SEC Second-Team selection.

Before transferring to South Carolina for the 2024 season, Sanders spent three years at Arkansas. He burst onto the scene in 2021, notching 578 yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries. Sanders only stepped up his game the following season, when he exploded for a career-high 1,443 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

He was named a 2022 All-SEC First-Team selection and was regarded as one of the most dangerous rushing threats in the country. Alas, in 2023, Sanders had a down year due to injuries and finished with just 209 rushing yards. His bounceback in the 2024 season earned him Comeback Player of the Year honors according to the Associated Press.

Rocket Sanders played high school football at Rockledge (FL), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 407 overall recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 | Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Ahead of the draft in April, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein provided an in-depth analysis of Sanders’ game. He certainly felt like the running back had the tools necessary to succeed in the NFL, and we saw him flash his potential throughout college.

“He’s a big rusher with pop behind his pads,” Zierlein wrote. “He runs with timing and tempo as a one-cut runner. He creates yards with vision and cut quickness, but he can fall into the trap of trying to be a hero instead of taking yards that are there and moving on. His speed won’t prohibit him from outside runs, but his living will be made inside the tackles.”

It certainly didn’t take long for another team to take a chance on him, and hopefully he can make the most of his opportunity in Cleveland. The Browns kick off the 2025 season on Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.