Story by
Jerome Ford accepts pay cut from Browns, another signal Nick Chubb not likely to re-sign
- Story by
- Jerome Ford accepts pay cut from Browns, another signal Nick Chubb not likely to re-sign
The breadcrumbs continue to lead to a separation between the Browns and fan favorite running back Nick Chubb .
A week ago, it was the drafting of not one, but two running backs: Ohio State's Quinson Judkins and Tennessee's Dylan Sampson . Now, it's a revised contract by fourth-year running back Jerome Ford that significantly reduces his salary, but also guarantees the deal.
Advertisement
Ford reduced his salaray from $3.486 million to $1.75 million, a league source confirmed for the Beacon Journal. The contract change was initially posted on OverTheCap.com.
The new contract replaced the proven production escalator in his original rookie contract. The PPE is a non-negotiable provision in a rookie contract that raises the base salary in the fourth year if they hit certain performance benchmarks.
So how does this impact Chubb, who's an unrestricted free agent? With Ford taking a pay cut, it likely eliminates the need for another player at the position, unless he were to be traded between now and the time Chubb signs elsewhere.
The Browns running back room sits at four, with Judkins, Sampson, Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. Strong, like Ford, is on the final year of his rookie deal with a $1.1 million cap hit.
Advertisement
General manager Andrew Berry said after the draft the two running backs selected in the draft didn't necessarily signal the end of Chubb's time in Cleveland . However, he did acknowledge the potential.
"I'd say not necessarily, but the complexion of our running back room has changed this weekend," Berry said on April 26. "And so, as we work through the undrafted free agency process, maybe take a breath on Sunday, we'll reassess kind of where the roster is and what opportunities are available to us on the veteran market, and then we'll operate from there."
Green Bay Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (58) tackles Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (34) during a preseason game on Aug. 10, 2024, in Cleveland.
Ford, who will turn 26 on Sept. 12, became the replacement for Chubb after he sustained his 2023 knee injury in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers . The 2022 fifth-round pick ran for 1,378 combined yards on 308 carries with seven touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Advertisement
Chubb, 29, has ended the last two seasons on injured reserve. After missing the final 15 regular-season games in 2023, he didn't return until Week 7 in 2024, rushing for 332 yards and three touchdowns on 102 carries over eight games, before suffering a broken foot in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs .
The 2018 second-round pick is the franchise's No. 3 all-time rusher behind Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly with 6,843 yards. The four-time Pro Bowler told the Beacon Journal in February he was hopeful to return to Cleveland.
"Man, just for me, the city of Cleveland means lot," Chubb said in a Feb. 6 interview. "To me, it's a special place. The people in Cleveland make it great, the fans and just the people around the city. But always a special place to me in my heart. I loved it here and it will always be home, no matter what."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns' Jerome Ford takes pay cut, another sign of Nick Chubb's future
