Friday’s preseason game was a night to forget for the Cleveland Browns.
Well, most of the Browns, anyway.
Rookie running back Jerome Ford flashed strong dual-threat skill in his first appearance in the orange and brown jersey.
In addition to gashing the Jaguars’ defense on a 41-yard tear, Ford tallied a touchdown on the ground.
He also notched 45 yards through the air, catching four of five targets.
After an impressive preseason start, what can we expect from the former Cincinnati Bearcat?
Breakout Potential
Ford’s excellent game raised more than a few local eyebrows.
Bleacher Report recently named Ford as a backup most likely to crush expectations this season:
“With [Kareem] Hunt and [D’Ernest] Johnson set to be free agents next offseason, [GM Andrew Berry] drafted former Cincinnati Bearcats star Jerome Ford in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Ford was an explosive presence in college, finishing 2021 with 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground.
…
“With ESPN reporting Hunt has requested a new contract or a trade, the Browns could afford to move the veteran for an asset and simply replace him with Ford.”
The stars are now potentially aligning for Ford.
While it might be premature to exalt Ford as the second coming of Jim Brown or Barry Sanders, the hype is real.
And so is the pedigree.
Ford was a significant contributor to the Bearcats’ excellent 2021 season.
Last year, Cincinnati became the first non-Power Five team to make the College Football Playoff.
While the team ultimately lost to Alabama in the semi-finals, it likely wouldn’t have found itself playing the Crimson Tide without Ford.
In fact, Ford was initially recruited by and played for the Crimson Tide, a testament to his talent coming out of high school.
But Ford made a name for himself at Cincinnati, where he garnered at least some mild Heisman chatter during his final collegiate season.
Ford’s strong play on Friday likely eased any concerns about the running back rotation’s long-term success.
Even with Johnson and Hunt potentially departing next summer (or sooner), the team can afford to stand pat with a young (and inexpensive) back behind starter Nick Chubb.
Projections
Here’s why projecting Ford’s season is difficult: he might see plenty of time in the preseason, but come the regular season, the Browns may go with Hunt and Johnson over Ford on the depth chart.
In fact, the only way Ford might see any meaningful time is if Hunt is traded away.
Even then, the Browns could deploy Johnson as the team’s official backup.
But last season, the third-stringer Johnson managed a strong showing after Hunt went down with an injury.
What’s stopping Ford from stepping up and doing the same?
Instead of an injury forcing the Browns to feed Ford, perhaps Ford’s strong play in the preseason makes the Browns think twice before sitting him out.
And if an injury does come for the oft-out Hunt, Ford could conceivably leapfrog Johnson as the team’s backup.
Especially given Ford’s demonstrated dual-threat abilities.
If injuries to guys like David Bell and Anthony Schwartz persist, Ford might be a decent stop-gap option in the slot.
In short, Ford might be forcing the Browns to give him time this season.
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