Browns rushing attack to be led by Nick Chubb, several unknowns
By Josh Brown
The Cleveland Browns will have a new look in the offensive backfield next season. No, number 24 is not going anywhere. Nick Chubb is still the best back in the NFL and will continue to churn out yards and touchdowns.
The question now is, who will spell him?
Kareem Hunt has been jettisoned and is still looking for a new home. D'Ernest Johnson took his talents to Jacksonville. That leaves the Browns with some unknown commodities to help keep a rushing attack near the top of the NFL as it has during the Chubb/Hunt era.
Who will churn yards out when Chubb sits? Who is going to be the receiver out of the backfield? Should Andrew Berry leave this backfield up to Chubb and company, or is a veteran needed? Let's look at what the Browns' current running back room brings to the table.
Jerome Ford to be Chubb's Backup?
The Browns took Jerome Ford in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. Ford spent his 2018-19 seasons in Alabama playing for the Crimson Tide. The problem was he only had 33 total touches over those two years.
He decided to leave the Crimson Tide and entered the transfer portal looking for a new home. He chose the Cincinnati Bearcats based on a great recruiting pitch that had the Bear Cats high on his list before choosing Alabama out of high school.
He definitely got his touches with Cincy. Over two seasons with the Bearcats Ford would put up some stellar numbers. In 288 rushing attempts, he totaled 1,802 yards averaging 6.25 yards per carry, scoring 27 touchdowns rushing. A bit of a concern with Ford is that he only caught 29 passes with one touchdown in that same timeframe. Can he be a third-down-receiving threat?
Ford spent most of his rookie season as the kickoff return specialist, with only eight carries all season. He shined in the role with 30 returns on the year, averaging 24.1 yards per return and a long run of 48. The Cleveland brain trust believes Ford can take that success and turn it into a significant role behind Nick Chubb next year. With no proven veteran back here or currently on the radar, we are going to find out if they are right.