Position Preview: Running Backs | Cleveland Browns

Intro hey Browns fans Nathan Zur here with another position preview as we get ready for the Browns 2024 season and today we're going to look at the running backs and now normally this one is easy Nick chub that's all you need to know right Nick chub four straight Pro Bowls in the Four Seasons prior to 2023 averaged over 1250 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns rushing per season in that span he is the best running back in the National Football League but as we all know he suffered that horrific injury in week against the Pittsburgh Steelers last year and so now we don't know going into the 24 season when we will be able to have Nick chub in the backfield and so for the first time in many many years since Nick chub was drafted quite frankly there are questions about the Cleveland Browns backfield and so we've got some guys returning and we've got some new faces coming in to lead off the Jerome Ford returners of course there's Jerome Ford the fifth round pick in two drafts ago out of the University of Cincinnati last year had to step into a major role when Nick chub went down and Jerome Ford did that very effectively he ran for 813 yds and four touchdowns as well as catching 44 passes for 319 yards and five touchdowns added all up 1132 yards from scrimmage and nine scores from Jerome Ford who figures to be a big part of the Browns plans as long as Nick chub remains out now joining him in the back field is somebody who I think could have a big season for the Browns and he is a big back in his own right Deontay Deontay Foreman Foreman he joins the Browns after spending last season with the Chicago Bears and he is a big strong Bruiser Foreman's a former third round pick of the Houston Texans back in 2017 actually started his career with our quarterback Deshawn Watson there and he's bounced around a little bit Tennessee Carolina Chicago as well for his career he's run for 226 yards and 14 touchdowns averaging 4.2 yards per carry remember I said he's a big back how a 6' 235 pounds down to you he is a big physical Runner and if you think about the role that Kareem hunt played for the Browns last year as he ran for a career-high nine rushing touchdowns that's the role that I think Deontay Foreman could play while Nick chub is out the goal line back the hammer the power back late in games when defenses are worn down and here's a stat I absolutely love about Deontay Foreman when he's been given the opportunity to be a star and really the Bellow for his team he has delivered the goods in 11 career games with 19 or more carries he's rushed for more than a 100 yards seven times and more than 90 yards nine times so he has been very productive when given those opportunities and I think he is a sneaky guy to play a big role for the Cleveland Browns here while Nick chub is out early if he is out early in the 2024 season also back in the back field this year you've got Pierre strong and I like Pierre strong a Pierre Strong lot of acceleration a lot of bursts an ability to turn a short run into a long run and I think he's a guy who has the potential not only to be a great running back for the Browns but really help in the kick return game with these new rules he's looked very good out here at mini camp and could take some to the house strong actually led the Browns last year with 4.6 yards per carry he had one rushing touchdown five catches for 47 yards as well but you could see that Talent it almost looks like he's moving at a different speed sometimes now the fourth running back who could be in the mix certainly early this season we talked about that kick return rule what about nahem hin now he's coming Najee Hines back from a season ending injury in 2023 did not play last year but he has an opportunity I think to be a dynamic returner and also a very good pass catcher out of the back field for the Browns Hines is entering his seventh season in the NFL and he's been a guy really who could do it all spending most of his career at the beginning with the Indianapolis Colts he's run for over a, yards and 10 touchdowns he's caught for over 1,700 yards and eight more touchdowns and then remember I mentioned the return game well he owns two career punt return touchdowns and two career kick return touchdowns you may remember the name nahem Hines he was the guy who opened the game with a kick return for a touchdown following the Demar Hamlin scare late in that season for the Buffalo Bills it was an emotional play one of the most emotional plays of the entire 2022 NFL season so those four I think are going to round out that room and you're going to have kind of a running back by committee as long as Nick chub's not ready to go once he's ready to go Nick chub I'm sure will be eased back but he will be the man once again for the Cleveland Browns and I know we all can't wait to see that couple other running backs to know as you get ready for train Camp you know there are going to be position battles right because in the sense that we don't have that Superstar we don't have those defined roles yet we're going to have to figure out how that goes but some guys that are going to scratch and Claw to try to either make this roster or stay in the Browns program will be running John Kelly Aiden Robbins back John Kelly who spent numerous seasons on the Browns practice squad and then this year's undrafted free agent Aiden Robbins with the round signed after the draft a bigger back strong back he's got an opportunity to compete out of BYU so that's a look at the running back room that's where thing stands the question is when will we see Nick chub again and hopefully we get that answer sooner rather than later for the latest on your Cleveland Browns as always keep it tune at Cleveland browns.com and the Browns mobile app this has been our position preview looking at the running backs