While much of the attention is on who will be the next quarterback, the Cleveland Browns have another area that remains uncertain: their running backs. They have Jerome Ford, who received a poor ranking, and he could share carries with rookies who might elevate the offense to another level in the NFL.
Although the veteran is projected to start in Week 1, there’s significant anticipation about what Quinshon Judkins, selected 36th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, can achieve.
Jerome Ford ranked poorly
Maurice Jones-Drew placed Jerome Ford at No. 30 out of 32 starting running backs in his Running Back Rankings, a dismal position considering the competition he’ll face from Quinshon Judkins.
Ford only outranked Chase Brown (Cincinnati Bengals) and Javonte Williams (Dallas Cowboys) after a season with 104 carries, 564 rushing yards, and a low 5.4 yards per carry average.
“Ford has been efficient in spots over the past two seasons, but he’ll need to consistently produce in order to fend off promising rookie Quinshon Judkins. Nobody really knows what this offense will look like, given the huge question mark at quarterback. Even if the run game ends up being the unit’s strength, it likely will be because Kevin Stefanski is deftly utilizing a committee of backs,” commented NFL analyst Maurice Jones-Drew.
Quinshon Judkins arrives at the Browns alongside Dylan Sampson, and Jones-Drew is right to note that it’s premature to predict outcomes without knowing who the starting quarterback will be.
What’s clear is that the former Ohio State star generates a lot of excitement, having been a national champion and recording 194 carries for 1,060 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 2024.
The starting running back rankings suggest that Jerome Ford must work harder to keep his spot, or one of the rookies could take it. Additionally, the Cleveland Browns face another pressing issue within the franchise, and not everything revolves around Shedeur Sanders and the competition he faces to lead this offense.
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