Washington Commanders Agree to a One Year Contract With Running Back Jerome Ford

Ford spent two seasons at the University of Alabama before transferring and earning a starting role that led to a standout final college season.

Earning first-team all-conference recognition as a senior, he rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging over six yards per carry. The Browns drafted him 156th overall in 2022.

The real opportunity for him arrived in 2023. When Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, Ford stepped into Cleveland’s starting role and did not flinch.

He finished that year with 813 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 44 receptions, and 319 receiving yards, totaling nine scores and a career-high 1,132 scrimmage yards across 17 appearances.

In 2024, he led Cleveland’s backfield with 565 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 14 games, adding 37 catches for 225 yards in another strong dual-threat showing.

Washington’s Backfield Depth Gets a Meaningful Boost Heading Into 2026

Things shifted quickly in 2025. Cleveland selected rookie running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson in the same draft, and Ford found himself operating third on the depth chart with almost no room to work.

He appeared in 13 games, recording just 73 rushing yards on 24 carries and 103 receiving yards on 26 catches before a shoulder injury in December ended the season early.

In Washington, Ford walks into a different situation. On X, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote that “Rachaad White and Jerome Ford give the Commanders experience and depth in the backfield alongside Jacory Croskey-Merritt.”

Ford’s receiving production adds to his value here. He caught 44 passes in 2023 and 37 in 2024, back-to-back seasons of consistent work out of the backfield that Washington needs from this room.

White arrived on a one-year deal worth up to $4 million and brings 205 career receptions to the table. Ford rounds out the group with a more physical, downhill presence.

Washington’s offense centers on Jayden Daniels, the team’s franchise quarterback now heading into his third NFL season. In 2024, Daniels set the rookie quarterback record for rushing yards with 891 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, before a difficult 2025 campaign limited his impact.

Ford has landed in the right place. His best work in Cleveland came when a team trusted him with carries. Washington appears ready.