How this Cleveland Browns player could be a key weapon in 2025

Despite the miserable 2024 season, the Cleveland Browns may have found a key contributor to the team’s running back offense Jerome Ford.

The former fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has been underwhelming since entering the league. He saw limited time during that first season, but eventually expanded his role in his second year due to Nick Chubb’s season-ending injury. While splitting time with former Browns running back Kareem Hunt, Ford finished the 2023 season with 813 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 204 carries.

This year, however, it has been a different story for the 25-year-old tailback. Through 13 games this year, Ford has been the most productive of his career with 543 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 98 carries. He showed his big-play ability in the last two games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs, totaling 176 yards on the ground on 18 attempts.

In addition to his impact during the game, Ford has excelled through the air. The 5-foot-9 running back has 17 catches for 128 yards in the past seven games for Cleveland.

So how can Ford become a key weapon in 2025?

Part of the reason the former Cincinnati Bearcat found success this year was because the Browns used more running backs this year, such as Nick Chubb. Ford offers a perfect change of pace from the other Cleveland running backs while also being a dynamic pass catcher.

With Chubb’s future up in the air, Cleveland must take advantage of the rich running back class in the 2025 NFL Draft. An intriguing name projected to be a Day 2-3 pick is Kansas’ Devin Neal, who had 1,266 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024.

In order for Browns general manager Andrew Berry to properly set up the running game for the future, he needs to invest in a young running back this year to pair with Ford.