Cleveland Browns training camp preview: Nick Chubb, Jerome Ford and who else at RB
BEREA — Training camp is fast approaching for the Browns.
The team will first gather in Berea in just over a week, starting with rookies and quarterbacks on July 19. The veterans will report on July 21, a day before the team travels to The Greenbrier Resort in Southeast West Virginia for the first eight training camp practices.
The Browns enter camp with a roster capable of challenging for an AFC playoff berth, maybe even an AFC North title. However, there are also questions abounding at each position.
This is the second installment in a position-by-position look at the Browns roster heading into camp. It looks at the locks or near-locks at each position, those who are on the bubble and those who likely won't be on the 53-man roster when cutdown day arrives on Aug. 29.
The quarterback position was looked at in the first installment of this series. It continues today with a look at the running backs.
Cleveland Browns running backs entering training camp
Locks to make the 53-man roster: Nick Chubb, Jerome Ford
On the bubble: Demetric Felton Jr., John Kelly Jr.
Likely cuts: Hassan Hall, Nate McCrary
Chubb is one of the best players at his position in the NFL. A year ago, he rushed for a 1,525 yards on 302 carries, both career highs, while scoring a career-high-tying 12 touchdowns.
Two of the last three seasons, Chubb has finished in the top three in the league in rushing. That's even though he's never averaged more than 20 carries in a game in a season, including last year's average of 17.8 carries.
"It's just the way I approach my career, football, the way I approach everything," Chubb said. "I'm always working to be better for my team, for Cleveland. I think that's my mindset is to do what I can for everyone around me."
There have been questions about the potential to diminish Chubb's role in the offense as the Browns center it around quarterback Deshaun Watson's skill set. He's publicly dismissed any concerns.
With Kareem Hunt electing not to re-sign with the Browns, Ford has emerged as the clear No. 2 heading into camp. The second-year back was primarily used as a very effective kick returner last year, but should see significantly more action in the backfield this season.
"Jerome's got a skill set that can allow him to do any and everything," running backs coach Stump Mitchell said on June 8 at the end of minicamp. "Pass protection we've worked a lot on the spring, so that was the only thing that we didn't really have a good handle on because he didn't do it a lot in college. But he's worked extremely hard. We know about his skillset with the ball in his hands."
After that, the questions begin. The first: Is the third back even on the roster right now?
It's no secret the Browns are still in the market to find another back. That may or may not result in someone being added to this roster at some point, either around camp or after roster cuts.
For now, the question for the No. 3 back involves third-year pro Demetric Felton Jr., who's spent his first two seasons playing more receiver than running back. The other option, if it's a back now on the roster, most likely would be multi-year practice-squad player John Kelly Jr.
Hassan Hall, the lone rookie running back on the roster, and Nate McCrary are candidates to eventually end up on the practice squad.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns camp preview: Nick Chubb, Jerome Ford and who else at RB
