The Cleveland Browns have found their running backs of the future.
Rookies Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson have looked good in their first NFL action.
That clearly was the team’s vision when they selected them in the second and fourth rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, respectively.
With that in mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them part with their veteran running back.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently named Jerome Ford as a potential trade candidate.
“Ford, though, seems to be falling out of favor in Kevin Stefanski’s offense. He saw just seven touches in Week 1 and was mostly in a receiving-back role in Week 2 (he did have five catches). With Ford set to be a free agent in 2026, the Browns may take what they can get for him now. That may not be a lot, but Ford has breakaway speed and has topped 500 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons,” Knox wrote.
Ford had to agree to a restructured deal in the offseason.
He was a candidate to be cut before doing so, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Nick Chubb, who wound up signing with the Houston Texans.
Now, with a new legitimate three-down running back in Judkins, the Browns may not have a role for Ford.
It’s not that he can’t play, but he’s failed to impress in the featured role, and he doesn’t bring anything to the table that other players don’t already have.
Sampson has proven to be a threat as a pass-catching back.
His breakaway speed, shiftiness, steady hands and big-play potential make him a weapon.
As for Judkins, he’s a tackle-breaking machine who can also make defenders miss, and he’s the type of back who demands more than one defensive player to get him on the ground.
The Browns have everything they need to build one of the strongest running games in the NFL, and they could make use of whatever they can get in exchange for Ford.
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