Ford carried the ball twice for four yards in Saturday's 23-10 preseason loss to the Packers. The 24-year-old running back got the start for Cleveland's preseason opener but played only one series before Pierre Strong took over. Ford is expected to begin the regular season as the No. 1 option in the backfield, and even once Nick Chubb (knee) is cleared to return to action, the 2022 fifth-round pick should still have a significant role while Chubb ramps up his workload.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Jerome Ford news
Team
Cleveland Browns
Birthdate
9/12/1999 (24)
Status
Active
HT/WT
5'10", 210 lbs
Draft Info
2022: Rd 5; Pk (CLE)
Birthplace
Tampa, FL, USA
Position
RB
College
Cincinnati
Experience
3 seasons
Career History
Cleveland Browns
2022-Present
(3 seasons)
Ford carried the ball twice for four yards in Saturday's 23-10 preseason loss to the Packers. The 24-year-old running back got the start for Cleveland's preseason opener but played only one series before Pierre Strong took over. Ford is expected to begin the regular season as the No. 1 option in the backfield, and even once Nick Chubb (knee) is cleared to return to action, the 2022 fifth-round pick should still have a significant role while Chubb ramps up his workload.
Ford (personal) returned to practice Monday, Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports. Ford missed practice from Thursday through the weekend to attend to an unspecified personal matter. He remains the favorite to lead Cleveland's backfield if Nick Chubb (knee) isn't ready by Week 1, but it could be a committee situation with D'Onta Foreman, Pierre Strong and/or Nyheim Hines (knee) also having roles.
Ford (personal) remained away from the team and missed Friday's practice, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. Ford was out for a second consecutive practice, but Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski reiterated that Ford would be back "shortly." The coach also hinted that the running back will have "great news" to share once he returns to camp. The 24-year-old Ford is projected to be the Browns' lead back as long as Nick Chubb is recovering from his knee injury.
Ford missed Thursday's practice due to a personal matter, Patrick Warren of the Browns' official site reports. Ford is expected to return to camp Friday. With Nick Chubb (knee) on the active/physically unable to perform list and Nyheim Hines (knee) on the active/non-football injury list, Ford will be first in the running back line for drills once he's back.
Ford's preseason and regular-season roles will depend on the health statuses of his injured teammates, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports. With Nick Chubb (knee) still recovering from knee surgery during the offseason, Ford handled first-team reps in spring workouts, and he likely heads into training camp as the lead back. The Browns could apply injury designations to Chubb and Nyheim Hines (knee) at the beginning of camp, which would cement Ford in the top spot for now. He could keep the job into the regular season if Chubb winds up on the reserve-PUP list, which would require him to miss at least the first four games of the schedule. Ford's role should sort itself out over the coming weeks.
Ford outpaced backfield mate Kareem Hunt by six carries, and neither back was able to find much success save for Hunt's short touchdown run against what had been a fairly porous Cardinals run defense. However, Ford was able to partly make up for the inefficient day on the ground with impressive volume as a receiver, and his hefty workload dispelled any concerns about the condition of his previously gimpy ankle. Ford is likely to remain the de facto lead back in a Week 10 road divisional showdown against the Ravens.
After missing practice Wednesday and Thursday, Ford was a limited participant in Friday's session, which set the stage for the Browns to list him as questionable for Sunday's contest. With his Week 8 active status confirmed, Ford is slated to work through an ankle issue that initial reports suggested could lead to the running back missing a week or two. With that in mind, it remains to be seen how close to a full workload Ford will be up for versus Seattle and if he's limited at all or suffers any setbacks, Kareem Hunt would presumably be next up for added touches, with Pierre Strong also available to mix in.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Ford "surprised" the Browns with how well he ran Thursday, and with the running back having tested his ankle out during Friday's practice, he now has a chance to play this weekend. Look for added context with regard to Ford's status to arrive prior to Sunday's 4:05 p.m. ET kickoff. If Ford ends up on the inactive list or is available to play in only a limited capacity, added backfield reps would be available for Kareem Hunt (thigh) and Pierre Strong.
The Browns haven't officially ruled Ford out for Sunday's game against the Seahawks, but with two straight absences from practice to begin Week 8 prep, the running back looks all but guaranteed to sit out this weekend. On a positive note, the Browns remain optimistic that Ford's right high-ankle sprain will keep him out for just 1-to-2 weeks, putting him on track to avoid a stint on injured reserve, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. According to Petrak, Kareem Hunt is scheduled to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's session due to a lingering thigh injury, so he'll presumably be in line to lead the backfield in Seattle while Pierre Strong works in a complementary role.