After signing Rachaad White, the Washington Commanders have added former Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford to a one year deal
The Washington Commanders have now upgraded their running back room with another free agent signing to kick off the weekend.
Former Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford is expected to sign a one year deal with the Commanders, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He becomes the second free agent addition in the room this offseason after the Commanders signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White to a one year deal.
White adds stability in a bare rotation with the chance at stepping into a far less crowded running back room compared to Cleveland. After becoming a fifth round pick with the 156th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, Ford arrived in Cleveland alongside Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton.
After just 12 yards on eight carries as a rookie, Ford saw an opportunity break open after Nick Chubb suffered a season ending injury in week two of the 2023 season, allowing Ford to post a career-best 813 yards on 204 carries with four touchdowns in 12 starts and 17 appearances, the lone season he played every game.
Ford then ran for over 630 rushing yards on 128 carries and three touchdowns over his last two seasons with the Browns turning to Quinshon Judkins once available in 2025. In 2025 specifically, Ford saw his role shift through the season with Judkins and Dylan Sampson on the roster in the post-Chubb rushing attack in Cleveland. He would watch his 2025 season cut short after suffering a shoulder injury in December, appearing in 13 games in what ended up being his final season with the Browns.
Now in Washington, Chubb will look to round out a rotation as a complementary piece to White, who thrives in pass pro and is a proven threat as a receiving threat, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, a shifty back with home run speed and big play ability. But Ford also adds a receiving threat out of the backfield having caught at least 30 balls in each of his last three seasons, including 63 catches in 2023.
Whether the second free agent signing, albeit both to one year deals, precludes the Commanders and general manager Adam Peters from adding former Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love remains to be seen.
Ford was tabbed a first team All Conference selection in his second and final season at Cincinnati after running for over 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns while averaging over six yards per carry, the second consecutive season he did so.