Taking a look at Cleveland’s running back room before team activities begin
The Cleveland Browns are officially heading into the first portion of their practice schedule on May 10th beginning with their rookie minicamp.
OTA’s (Organized team activities) begin shortly after that on May 21st, which marks the first time that the entire team has an opportunity to work together. Before it gets to that point, it’s important to take a look at each of Cleveland’s position groups.
Today we’re going to dive into the Browns’ running back room as it currently stands.
Current Roster (7)
Nick Chubb
2023 Stats: 170 rushing yards, 6.1 avg., 4 recs., 21 receiving yards
Chubb was subject to a gruesome knee injury in week two of the 2023 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was placed on IR immediately following the injury and has had multiple surgeries since then to repair the tendons in the knee. All signs point to him being ready to play at some point in the 2024 season, but nobody knows when for sure. Chubb will most likely begin the season on the P.U.P. list.
PFF Grade: 81.6
Jerome Ford
2023 Stats: 813 rushing yards, 4.0 avg., 4 TD, 44 recs., 319 receiving yards, 5 TD
Ford stepped in admirably for Chubb last year and looks to do the same for the first part of the 2024 season along with Foreman and Hines. He proved to be an excellent receiver out of the backfield as well in 2023 and can be an effective all-around back for Cleveland going forward.
PFF Grade: 68.9
D’Onta Foreman
2023 Stats: 425 rushing yards, 3.9 avg., 4 TD, 11 recs., 77 receiving yards, 1 TD
Foreman was added in free agency due to his punishing running style and can help with some of the early-down work for the team until Nick Chubb gets back. He’s a fairly efficient runner between the tackles and knows how to grind out tough yardage. Foreman could end up being the 2024 version of Kareem Hunt for this offense.
PFF Grade: 74.0
Nyheim Hines
2023 Stats: Out for the 2023 season with a torn ACL.
Hines is one of the top receiving/gadget-type running backs in the league when healthy and he could be a dangerous weapon for Cleveland in 2024. He can line up at multiple spots and play a few different roles for the offense this season.
PFF Grade: N/A
Pierre Strong Jr.
2023 Stats: 291 rushing yards, 4.6 avg., 1 TD, 5 recs., 47 receiving yards
Strong Jr. showed flashes of playmaking ability in 2023 but he’ll have to improve throughout the summer if he wants to be considered a legitimate depth option this season. Depending on how many running backs the team decides to carry in 2024, he could end up being a practice squad-only option for the Browns.
PFF Grade: 60.6
John Kelly Jr.
2023 Stats: N/A. Only active in the playoffs and played 8 special teams snaps.
Kelly Jr. has been a preseason and practice squad stud for the Browns since 2021 but hasn’t been able to find his way onto the active roster as of late. He’ll most likely experience more of the same this year due to the amount of talent the team added in free agency.
PFF Grade: N/A
Aidan Robbins – BYU
2023 Stats: 485 rushing yards, 4.8 avg., 1 TD, 7 recs., 33 receiving yards
Robbins was signed as a UDFA immediately following the 2024 NFL Draft. He was injured for part of the 2023 season but was a productive runner for the Cougars when healthy. He was one of the top “G5” running backs in college football at UNLV in 2022 before transferring to BYU. He has a shot to make the active roster if Cleveland ends up keeping four ball-carriers.
PFF Grade: N/A
Projected Depth Chart (3)
RB1 – Jerome Ford
RB2 – D’Onta Foreman
RB3 – Nyheim Hines
P.U.P. List – Nick Chubb
If the team decides to keep four running backs on the 53-man roster heading into week one, which is unlikely as of right now, then Pierre Strong Jr. or Aidan Robbins could battle for the RB4 spot.
What are your thoughts on Cleveland’s running back room heading into offseason activities? Join fellow Browns fans in the comment section below.
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