Cleveland will have to find someone to run the rock in the very near future.
During the Kevin Stefanski tenure, the Browns have been one of the NFL's best rushing teams. Unfortunately for the Browns, they'll have to work around a brutal Nick Chubb injury as they continue their quest for an AFC North crown.
Chubb was the bell cow for the Browns' offense, carrying the lion's share of the snaps at running back with the departure of Kareem Hunt prior to the start of the 2023 season. Through two games, Chubb put up 170 yards of rushing offense to go with 21 yards receiving.
Without Chubb, the Browns are going to have to figure out their running back room, and fast. Here's why:
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Browns RB depth chart 2023
With the Nick Chubb injury, the Browns are down to two running backs on their active roster, and neither has extensive experience:
1. Jerome Ford
2022 stats: 13 games (no starts), eight attempts, 12 yards, one touchdown.
Ford was a 2022 fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati (and Alabama), but he's been in limited game action since making the roster last year. Ford had 15 rushing attempts in Week 1 for 36 yards, good for 2.4 yards a carry.
While it's a small sample size, it's also not exactly RB1-type stuff. With Cleveland angling for a playoff berth this year, they're going to need to shore up the room with Chubb on the shelf.
2. Pierre Strong Jr.
2022 stats: 15 games (no starts), 10 attempts, 100 yards, one touchdown.
Strong was a fourth-round pick of the Patriots in 2022 and dressed in 15 games for New England. He would only see action in eight of those games and put together 100 yards of rushing offense, with 142 yards of total offense.
Practice squad: Hassan Hall
2022 stats: N/A (Rookie)
Hall was an undrafted free agent signing out of Georgia Tech and signed to the Browns' practice squad. Hall put together 1,820 yards of rushing offense in five college seasons between Louisville and Georgia Tech.