There have been many conversations amongst Cleveland Browns fans and analysts of the team about who will be the No. 2 running back behind Nick Chubb as we draw closer to the 2023 season. While we continue to debate if it’s going to be second year running back Jerome Ford or if the team were to bring in an additional free agent still on the market, it seems that the team doesn’t have that same concern.
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Recently, Cleveland running back coach Stump Mitchell had high praise for the second year back out of Cincinnati. In a story from clevelandbrowns.com writer Anthony Poisal quoted Mitchell saying of Ford,
“Jerome’s got a skillset that allows him to do anything and everything.”
Ford only collected eight carries a year ago. Three of them came in the game against the Houston Texans and the other five came in the game against the Washington Redskins.
However, with running back Kareem Hunt on the move now as a free agent, Ford will likely take that role from him as we open the season.
The former Cincinnati Bearcat did contribute to his new Browns team a lot last season via the kick return. He had 30 returns totaling 723 yards. That duty will likely continue next season as well. The running back coach Mitchell did go on to suggest that Ford would likely keep that other role saying:
“He’s been the No.1 kick return guy during these spring practices….I see him being the same guy.”
Ford originally went to Alabama when he was in college but then transferred to Cincinnati. In his junior season, he had a breakout year and helped his Bearcats reach the college playoffs in 2021. He finished with 1,319 rushing yards on 215 carries for a 6.1 yards per carry average. He also can catch the ball and the Browns will likely use him in that role as well in this next season.
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According to Anthony Poisal of clevelandbrowns.com, Browns GM Andrew Berry said of Ford back in February,
“…One of the things that drew us to Jerome throughout last year’s draft process was his ability in the passing game, and he will certainly have opportunities going into his second year to potentially showcase those skills on a more extended level.”
With the main Cleveland running back and All-Pro Nick Chubb taking the brunt of carries in this next season, I wouldn’t expect Ford to get a ton of carries. Ford will be replacing Kareem Hunt and Hunt himself wasn’t carrying the ball that much in recent seasons with the Browns. Last season he only totaled 123 carries.
Ford will get more than those eight carries he had a year ago. If he gets 100 carries and manages a four or five yards a carry average, you might be looking at him getting 500 to 600 yards on the season. In Hunt’s best season with the team, which was in 2020, he went for 841 yards on 198 carries.
With a new season on the horizon, Ford will likely be seen a lot more on the field of play and from the sounds of it that’s going to be a really good thing.
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