First, a disclaimer: The Cleveland Browns seemed to go way out of their way to create a vanilla scheme on both sides of the ball against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday afternoon. The Packers played several starters, including quarterback Jordan Love. The Browns… not so much. Of course, it’s also the first preseason game, and Cleveland Head Coach Kevin Stefanski doesn’t put a lot of stock in preseason.
That said, one storyline that’s carried over from last season is…
The Cleveland Browns Have a Problem in their Running Game
It’s not supposed to be this way. The Cleveland Browns have all-world running back Nick Chubb. While he wouldn’t play in the preseason if he was healthy (which he very much is not), Browns faithful could always take comfort that Number 24 was waiting, biding his time before getting the ball in the season opener.
But Chubb is on the physically unable-to-perform list, and it’s unclear when he will make his 2024 debut. Given the horrific injury he suffered nearly a year ago, that much seems a blessing. For a while there, it looked like he was done.
But What About Jerome Ford?
Cleveland famously failed to roster veteran backups at key positions last season, and one of those spots was at running back. That left former fifth-round pick Jerome Ford as the starter in the post-Chubb world. Ford’s 2023 stats looked solid. He gained 813 yards on 204 carries, for a solid 4.0 yards a carry.
However, those stats are incredibly misleading. Ford was wildly inconsistent, and a large portion of those yards came off of just a few big carries. In fact, Ford had the highest number of runs for no gain or a loss last season of any back in the NFL. That left the Cleveland Browns in 2nd and long as often as not, and that’s not a recipe for success, even in a league that’s as pass-centric as the NFL is in 2024.
Jerome Ford proved two things in 2023: (1) He is a solid change of pace back, and (2) He does not have the feel or vision to find the tough yards up the middle.
Early Returns for the Cleveland Browns Running Game Are Poor
The Cleveland Browns turned over their offensive line coach – a huge loss, as Bill Callahan is as good as it gets in the trenches. Cleveland is also reeling from several injuries up front, as their primary two backup centers are now out. Left tackle Jed Wills is still rehabbing his knee injury from last year. Ditto that for Jack Conklin.
Given all of this, it would seem obvious that the team should emphasize establishing and evaluating its running game, both in terms of looking at talent and establishing a scheme.
If that was the plan, it failed miserably. The team rushed 21 times for a mere 56 yards. Jerome Ford looked like the Ford of 2023, barely getting out of the backfield on his two touches. Pierre Strong led the team in carries with six for 15 yards. Perennial practice squad player John Kelly paced the team… with 15 yards. He also fumbled the ball away, leading to a Packers touchdown. In all, the players looked uninspired, and the scheme looked worse.
If the Cleveland Browns truly want to compete for a Super Bowl title, as they claim they do, today’s performance should set off alarm bells throughout their Berea practice facility. This running game is a long way from mediocre, let alone championship-caliber.
Main Image: Scott Galvin – USA Today Sports
