4 free agent running backs the Cleveland Browns can sign to fill in for Jerome Ford
• A familiar face could be a huge help
• Ezekiel Elliott remains an option, but should he be?
By Randy Gurzi
2. Darrell Henderson, Jr.
One of the more feasible options for the Browns in free agency right now is a player who isn't getting much attention. Darrell Henderson, Jr. was a third-round pick out of Memphis in 2019 and spent the first three-plus seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Rams.
He was in a committee for the majority of his time in Southern California but always performed well. He had 624 yards and five touchdowns in 2020 and followed that up with 688 yards and another five touchdowns in 2021 when the Rams won the Super Bowl.
For his career, Henderson has 1,742 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground — with an average of 4.4 yards per attempt. He's added 66 receptions for 474 yards with another four touchdowns, three of which came in 2021.
Despite the numbers, he was released near the end of the season and claimed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Henderson never got to play with the Jags before being released again.
At this point, he would be a low-cost signing with more experience than the other backups on Cleveland's roster. They could end up with a decent No. 2 back but at the same time, wouldn't have to pay so much that they would regret cutting him should it not work out.