Rookie joins a crowded and talented running back room.
The Cleveland Browns signed running back Jerome Ford on Thursday.
The Browns selected Ford in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the No. 156 overall selection.
We have signed 7 of the 9 players in our 2022 draft class
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) May 12, 2022
According to Over the Cap’s rookie pool estimate, Ford’s contract will have a total value of $4 million with a signing bonus of $379,244. His base salary for 2022 will be $705,000 with a cap hit of $799,811.
The 5-foot-10 and 210-pound Ford transferred to Cincinnati in 2020 after spending two years at Alabama. He led the American Athletic Conference in rushing yards last season with 1,319, and his 19 rushing touchdowns are tied for the most in program history at Cincinnati.
For his full collegiate career, Ford rushed for 1,953 yards with 30 touchdowns, while averaging 6.12 yards per carry.
While he put up solid numbers in the run game, Ford needs to work on his pass-catching abilities, according to Darren Paige, Ford’s position coach with the Bearcats (quote via The Beacon Journal):
“If he needs to improve on something, it’s definitely his route-running and just being comfortable and catching the ball more consistently. We didn’t split him out a ton. He didn’t have a huge menu of routes. I think that’s an area where he’s definitely going to be able to grow. As he continues to grow in that capacity, I think he’s really going to be a weapon for the Browns.”
Ford will wear No. 34 with the Browns.