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The Cleveland Browns have added Jacob Saylors to their running back room, adding some additional depth following the injury to Pierre Strong Jr.
Strong injured his rib during practice on Tuesday, August 20, and was transported to the hospital as a precaution due to shortness of breath. Strong has been released from the hospital, and the official word from the Browns is that he’s dealing with a rib contusion. An estimated return date has not been set.
Saylors will pick up some of the preseason reps with Strong sidelined. He’s coming off a successful UFL campaign where he recorded 94 rush attempts for 461 yards (4.9 average) and five touchdowns. Saylors, who suited up for the St. Louis Battlehawks, was named to the inaugural All-UFL Team for his contributions.
Saylors initially signed with the New York Giants after the UFL season but was waived on August 12. He’s also spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Browns RB Jerome Ford Ready for Larger Role
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Getty ImagesCleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford is ready for a big year.
The Browns are still awaiting word on if Nick Chubb will be ready for the start of the year. Chubb is rebounding from major knee surgery but has yet to practice with the team. He’ll miss the first four games if he’s not activated ahead of Week 1.
If Chubb is out, the Browns will rely on a running back committee led by Jerome Ford. The third-year running back saw an increased workload last season after Chubb went down in Week 2. The results were mixed, but Ford — a fifth-round pick in 2022 — came away with some confidence.
“Last year showed me that I could do it and I belong, and going into this year I feel like it’s the same thing,” Ford said on Wednesday, August 21. “Just ready to build off that.”
After seeing a very limited workload as a rookie, Ford reeled off 1,132 total yards — 813 rushing and 319 receiving last season. New Browns running backs coach Duce Staley has been working on making Ford a more well-rounded back, which includes improving his pass protection.
“It’s something that he’s getting better with,” Staley said on August 8. “We talk about it all the time in the room. Not just him, everybody. You gotta be able to protect the quarterback. Of course, you know, every running back wants the ball. They want to run the ball, but it’s all about what you’re doing when you don’t have the ball.”
D’Onta Foreman Key Part of RB Rotation for Browns
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Getty ImagesD’Onta Foreman can pick up the hard yards for the Browns.
New Browns running back D’Onta Foreman suffered his own scary injury in training camp that landed him in the hospital. However, he returned quickly and saw his first preseason action against the Minnesota Vikings.
Foreman led the team in carries with 10 for 18 yards. He plunged in from 1-yard out in the first half for a score, proving he can fill the hard-yard role previously occupied by Kareem Hunt.
“I mean it was great, I feel like in those situations I gotta get in there,” Foreman said of his touchdown run. “Just me with my stature and my frame, me being a bigger back it’s like I take those personal. I was actually mad I didn’t get in on the first one. I feel like I don’t need two times to try it you know so, I definitely had to get in the second one but it worked out.”
The Browns also added dynamic pass-catching back Nyheim Hines this offseason. However, he remains on the non-football injury list.
Cleveland opens the regular season on September 8 against the Dallas Cowboys.
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