Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that Ford will step in as the team's featured running back this weekend versus the Titans, though Cleveland will still look to add another back to the roster after Nick Chubb suffered a season-ending left knee injury in Monday's loss to the Steelers, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
While a precise diagnosis of Chubb's injury hasn't yet been provided, Stefanski confirmed that the star running back would require season-ending surgery. After Chubb exited two plays into the second quarter of Monday's contest, Ford stepped in capably in his first extended NFL action, carrying 16 times for 106 yards and adding three catches for 25 yards and a touchdown on four targets. A 69-yard run in which he reversed field after encountering a crowd at the line of scrimmage represented the bulk of his production on the ground, as he averaged a more unimpressive 2.5 yards per carry on his other totes. Even so, the long gain was demonstrative of the explosive burst Ford brings to the table, though he can't be expected to match Chubb's effectiveness as an overall runner. Ford has a path to a three-down role Sunday with Pierre Strong being the only other healthy running back on the roster, though the potential addition of a veteran free agent such as Kareem Hunt -- who spent the past four seasons in Cleveland as Chubb's top backup -- makes Ford's long-term outlook a little murkier.