Cleveland Browns running back D’Onta Foreman (27) celebrates his touchdown during the first half of an NFL preseason football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Saturday, August 17, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Going back to Nick Chubb’s Week 2 injury a year ago, the Browns didn’t have an efficient running game to work with. And Week 1 is less than three weeks away, and Chubb still hasn’t been activated from the physically unable to perform list, putting his status against the Cowboys in serious question.
The preseason has been similar for the Browns. They can’t get pressure to create air in the running game. Granted, the Browns are rotating backups at the left tackle position, guards like Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio haven’t played a single snap, and Dawand Jones and Ethan Pocic have played sparingly this preseason, but even against second- and third-team players, backups are struggling to generate movement.
Is it the lack of creativity from the running backs? Is it the lack of assertiveness from the offensive line? Probably a bit of both.
Jerome Ford was one of the least efficient backs in the NFL last year and hasn’t played much this preseason. D’Onta Foreman made his first appearance in the Browns uniform last week against the Vikings, finding the end zone and looking good as a receiver out of the backfield, but even their power back has struggled to generate forward momentum.
Can the running game do anything against Seattle on Saturday night? We just need a little sign of life.
