With NFL free agency rapidly approaching, we are going to look at each pending free agent on the Cleveland Browns, going position by position. We start with the offense, and the running back position specifically, with Jerome Ford.
How and When They Joined the Browns
Ford was a fifth round pick by the Browns in the 2022 NFL Draft. That meant him joining a crowded backfield that included Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Demetric Felton, and D’Ernest Johnson. Ford was primarily a kick returner as a rookie.
Productivity Level Last Season
Last year, the Browns drafted Quinshon
Judkins and Dylan Sampson, showing a clear intent to move on from Nick Chubb and likely Jerome Ford. However, Judkins missed much of the offseason, so Ford was retained with a pay cut that he accepted.
Ford still stuck around for the season, but it was a pedestrian one, and not the kind of year he would have liked in a contract year. He finished with 24 carries for 73 yards (3.0 YPC). He also had 26 catches for 103 yards. Those are steep drops from having led the team in rushing in 2024, and having had over 1,000 all-purpose yards on offense in 2023.
A shoulder injury in December ended Ford’s season early, but he still played in 13 games.
What the Browns Should Do
Ford was a candidate at the trade deadline last year, but nothing ever materialized. The hope is that Judkins will be perfectly healthy for the 2026 season, and when you have he and Sampson leading the way, I don’t see the team looking to retain Ford.
Ford has nice breakaway speed and can catch the ball well enough, but he didn’t have the best instincts of hitting the hole as a runner, leaving potential yards on the field. The Browns have some options to consider as their third back, but they should look for someone who can be counted on to deliver good blocks and some short power runs, if necessary. I expect Ford to hit the open market, but he might only get a near-minimum salary deal from someone.
Let us know in the comments below whether you think the Browns should re-sign Jerome Ford.
