Browns stock report: Nick Chubb, Jerome Ford not doing enough for offense

Another week has passed for the 2024 Cleveland Browns' offense, and one glaringly underwhelming dimension to it reared its ugly head again in a loss - their run game.

Between Nick Chubb and Jerome Ford, the Browns were unable to get much yardage. Sure, the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line did an excellent job of ensuring no run game could get going behind this Cleveland offensive line, but Chubb and Ford continued to provide zero impact on an offense desperate for yards outside of Jameis Winston's arm.

The Browns' running back room stunted the offense in Week 14

His two turnovers were an indictment not just on this pass heavy offense, but on how bad the run game has been all year. The Browns are 28th in total rushing yards on the season with 1,151 total, and they're 30th in rushing yards per carry with 3.8 yards gained on each run.

It's been a big blemish on the team, especially since Chubb's return held some promise that they could turn to the run game again.

Read more: Jameis Winston did his best with a one dimensional offense

In Week 14 against the Steelers, the Browns only rushed for 104 yards, and neither Chubb or Ford rushed for over 50 yards on the game. Winston actually ran for the same amount of yards as Ford - 28. Winston, who is not exactly known for his legs at 30 years old, matching up with Ford's production is not what you want to see.

No running back for the Browns has rushed for over 70 yards in a game all season long. Week 14 was just a microcosm of a longer standing issue with this Cleveland offense, which is that the offensive line cannot run block and the running back's involvement in the Browns' offense have remained predictable.

With a lack of change in either of these realms, the run game is going to continue to be a hole for scoring and yards on offense for the rest of the season.

These issues between Chubb, who is 28 years old and still recovering from another knee surgery, and Ford, who is 25 and has shown some promise as a backup RB for Cleveland, might inform the Browns' draft strategy in 2025. Do they take a serious look at Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty with their top 10 pick to replace some of Chubb's workload?

More seriously, do they choose Jeanty to replace Chubb, who is due for a new contract in 2025 and may be seeking a pay day from the Browns? With how poorly he's played since his return to action and with how abysmal his work was on the field with Ford, these are actual options GM Andrew Berry needs to consider before free agency and the draft shackle this team any more than they already are.

More Browns news and analysis