Once again, the star of the show will be Nick Chubb. With Kareem Hunt’s departure, he will likely shoulder an even larger workload as well. However, behind Chubb this group is very inexperienced with a grand total of only 144 offensive snaps among all backups. Nevertheless, I am not too concerned about the running backs since firstly, I think Chubb getting more snaps is a pretty good thing and secondly, I have high hopes for the potential of the three backups. Let’s take a look at Batman and what roles his Robins are going to play this season.
1. Nick Chubb
I don’t think this man needs much of an introduction; he is arguably the best pure runner in this league and an absolute pain to bring down. His vision and ability to cut through lanes is second to none. Pair that with his home run-speed and you have a threat for 6 every time he touches the ball. He averages 5.2 yards per run over his career, with 3.9 of those coming after contact. Although this offense might be a bit less run-heavy with Deshaun Watson under center, I think Chubb will still receive around 300 touches and definitely compete for the rushing title.
2. Jerome Ford
As a 5th round rookie, Ford did not get a lot of offensive touches in his first year, sharing the depth chart with Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson. Right now he is the second running back behind Nick Chubb and poised for a much larger role than just a kickoff returner. He was a highly recruited guy in college buried on the depth chart at Alabama before transferring to Cincinnati, where he scored 19 (!) touchdowns in his junior year. When revisiting his college film, I was impressed by his speed, especially when bouncing runs to the outside, where he constantly beat guys to the sideline. He is not the biggest back, but still able to fight for some extra yardage on every run. I would imagine that he will be the Browns main receiving back because of his ability to make people miss in the open field. He has not run a lot of routes in his career yet, but I think his athleticism should be good enough to be at least adequate at the start of his second season.
3. Demetric Felton
Felton struggled to find a role on this team due to his lack of a clear position. Granted it was only a preseason game, but I was pleasantly surprised by his performance in the hall of fame game against the Jets, where he looked like he build up some explosiveness and play strength. Obviously there are some limitations in his game due to his size, but he could be a nice third down back in my opinion. He won’t be a dependable pass protector, but his WR background makes him a great route runner for a running back with secure hands. Additionally the Browns could implement some creative pre-snap movement for him, involving motioning in and out of the backfield to create confusion for opposing defenses. Although he is not the most explosive runner, I would not rule out giving him a few touches on outside zone runs as well. Overall, I don’t think Felton is a running back that can be on the field for full drives but I think he could carve out a role as a scat back on third downs and maybe a special teams contributor.
4. John Kelly
Kelly has been a consistent member of the Browns’ practice squad since being waived by the Rams in 2020. Every offseason he impresses in camp and preseason games, yet could not secure a spot on a roster. This year however, I think he will get the opportunity to prove himself as a backup on the Browns. His build is very similar to Jerome Ford’s but he is a little slower and less explosive. His skillset is well-rounded as he can pick up some tough yardage in the short game, has enough speed to be a threat to the outside and has soft hands to catch outlet and screen passes. In an ideal scenario, where everyone stays healthy, he won’t be seeing the field very often. In the case of injury however, I would be pretty happy to have him because of his familiarity with the system. In my opinion, he could be competing for RB 2/3 on many teams in the NFL but somehow nobody really recognizes his talents.
5. Hassan Hall
Physically speaking, Hall looks a lot like Demetric Felton, as a lighter running back. Hall looks a bit bigger on film but is by no means going to be a force when running between the tackles. As a runner he is more of a wide zone player with adequate receiving skills. His change of direction, balance and route running however, are not on Feltons level. Additionally, Felton already has some experience in the NFL, which is why I view him a lot higher. Hall has some return ability but not enough to compete with the likes of Grant, DPJ and Ford. I think he could make the practice squad but is not really looking at the chance for a roster spot in Cleveland.
Edit:
The Browns have just signed Jordan Wilkins, as Jerome Ford is expected to miss some time during the regular season. Wilkins is a bigger running back with good contact balance and leg drive to pick up tough yardage. He possesses decent burst for his size but lacks true home run speed. His receiving ability is limited, and he is not going to make people miss in open space frequently. Given his age, he won’t be a factor in the Browns long term plans at the running back position either. If Jerome Ford is placed on injured reserve, I believe Wilkins will take his place on the active roster until Ford becomes eligible to return. However, I don’t see him replacing Kelly or Felton in the long run.
Edit 2.0:
With the way this running back market developed and the news indicating that Ford might be ready for week 1, I believe the Browns could consider putting John Kelly on the practice squad. There are players at more valuable positions who would likely be claimed if designated for the practice squad, influencing my decision to go with just 3 running backs. Felton adds versatility to the room with his experience at wide receiver and his return abilities. As a result, I currently have him above Kelly on the depth chart.
Edit 3.0:
The Browns have traded for Pierre Strong, a promising young running back with great speed for wide zone runs. He is a better athlete than Felton and also a huge upgrade in pass protection with a little more size and strength. Additionally he will likely compete for the RB2 spot with Ford and could be an option in the return game with Grant likely being out for the year.
Running Backs on the 53-man roster (prediction)
- Nick Chubb
- Jerome Ford
- Pierre Strong
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