Getty Free agent running back Jerick McKinnon.
The Cleveland Browns could use some reinforcements in their backfield and veteran running back Jerick McKinnon is still available.
McKinnon won a Super Bowl last season with the Kansas City Chiefs and was a dynamic role player out of the backfield. He recorded a career-high 512 yards receiving and added a whopping nine receiving touchdowns. McKinnon only rushed the ball 72 times, accounting for 291 yards.
McKinnon was listed by Irie Harris as a realistic free agent option for the Browns as they look to build out their backfield for next season behind Nick Chubb.
“His recent contract was a one-year deal worth nearly worth $1.3 million with the Chiefs. This would mean the Browns could bring in the veteran backup on a cheap deal,” Harris wrote.
McKinnon would be a great complement to Chubb as a proven pass-catching back. He’s more than proven in that area and could take on the role previously held by Kareem Hunt. He isn’t the runner that Hunt has proven to be over his career but second-year RB Jerome Ford will also be in the mix for work.
Browns Want to See More of Jerome Ford
The Browns selected Ford in the fifth-round of last year’s draft, knowing that there could potentially be a shakeup coming in their running back room. That came to fruition, with both Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson hitting free agency. Johnson signed with Jacksonville while Hunt is still in search of his next team.
The Browns have confidence in Ford but need a larger sample size before committing to him. Last season Ford had just eight carries for 12 yards.
“Jerome, we thought, did a nice job for us his rookie year,” Browns GM Andrew Berry said at the combine. “His main contributions were really within the kicking game and carved out a nice role as a really strong kick returner for us. One of the things that drew us to Jerome throughout last year’s draft process is his ability in the passing game, and he will certainly have opportunities going into his second year to potentially showcase those skills on a more extended level.”
Browns RB Nick Chubb to Still Have Large Role in Offense
There’s been some talk this offseason about the Browns shifting the offense to a more pass-heavy attack next season. It’s brought into question if Chubb will have the same level of importance within the offense but head coach Kevin Stefanski assured he’ll still have a significant role.
“Nick’s a major part of our offense, always will be,” Stefanski said. “He was I thought very productive last season and had a good amount of attempts. You’re always trying to get the best version of Nick. So that’s always part of our plan, to make sure he’s fresh for a 17-game season plus. Nick will always be a big part of our offense.”
It would be foolish for the Browns to not lean on Chubb. He’s established himself as one of the best running backs in the league and is coming off a year where he rushed for 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns.