Former Fifth-Round pick running back, Jerome Ford may wind up on the trade block after this year’s NFL Training Camp. According to a report, Ford may be coming off a breakout season but Nick Chubb is back so the Browns may trade him. Ford has been taking over the reps as the starter since week two last year after Chubb’s injury. He was able to wheel in 1,132 total yards that season after having a limitation in his rookie season so they could move on from him.
Cleveland has one of the most interesting offenses this upcoming year but not everyone will come together on the 53-man roster. Behind Ford are D’Onta Foreman, John Kelly Jr. and Nyheim Hines so he has some competition behind him that can take over at any moment. The Browns making new additions to the team’s running back room shows that they’re not ready to invest in Ford despite the season he was able to put up. However, Ford has been struggling with some consistency after averaging 4.0 yards per carry at times.
The Browns could get some draft capital in return if they decide to trade Ford which seems likely. Cleveland is hoping that Chubb is back in full force which means that Ford isn’t seeing the field much anymore but he can with another roster. The team may have to consider this when deciding who they keep in their running back. It was looking like Ford could potentially become the starter but they want to wait to see what Chubb will do when he returns.
However, it would be smart for the team to trade Ford now as he could become hot on the trade market if they make him available. Here are some potential trade fits for him.
Former Fifth-Round Pick Jerome Ford May Wind Up on the Trade Block
Potential Trade Fits
Los Angeles Chargers
If the Chargers are looking to establish a strong running game for Justin Herbert then they shouldn’t stop adding more depth at the position. Ford will likely become an affordable trade piece that Jim Harbaugh will likely look into. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards are the new pieces on the block but they have a huge risk of suffering injuries. The Chargers couldn’t afford to keep Austin Ekeler since they were dealing with cap issues but it was unpreventable.
Ekeler was probably their best running back in remembrance but he didn’t have any interest in Harbaugh’s new system.
Baltimore Ravens
Derrick Henry is receiving a huge workload this season but Keaton Mitchell isn’t ready to back him up if he gets hurt. They should consider adding one more running back to support the depth chart and keep rotating the talent to avoid any mishaps. Henry does have an excellent record of injuries as well so it may be safe to add Ford to the mix if he becomes available. He’s been showing signs that he can step in when it counts so he could do the same with the Ravens.
Kansas City Chiefs
Isiah Pacheco isn’t going anywhere but the depth chart still looks concerning with Clyde Edwards-Helaire being behind. It’s questionable why they were bringing him back instead of Jerick McKinnon. Ford is probably the next best option in a replica of him that can produce numbers in the mix as RB2. Patrick Mahomes needs a solid rotating running back room but Edwards-Helaire doesn’t look like the type to rotate unless they urgently need a backup in.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have one of the worst offenses walking into this upcoming year after making no kind of moves this offseason. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb still need new deals so the team can’t afford to make new top additions to improve their roster. This leaves the team in a drought but they surprisingly were able to bring back Ezekiel Elliott. Royce Freeman and Rico Dowdle behind him don’t seem promising for a team that wants to go all-in.
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