By admin 
With Jerome Ford injured, the Cleveland Browns added Jordan Wilkins to the practice squad.
Ford is anticipated to be out for several weeks due to an ankle injury suffered against the Indianapolis Colts. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns’ second-year running back has a low-grade, high ankle sprain.
Ford took over as the starting running back when Nick Chubb went down with a knee injury in Week 2.He has the most carries (78) and the most yards (344). This season, he has averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
Wilkins will join the practice squad, but once he’s up to speed, he’ll most likely be promoted to the active roster. Deon Jackson was brought to the active roster by the Browns ahead to their game against the Colts, however he was dismissed on Monday, October 23.
The former fifth-round pick has played for the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans. He’s played in 54 games with four starts in his career, all but one with the Colts. In his career, he has 1,009 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Wilkins can also catch the ball out of the backfield, having recorded 41 receptions for 262 yards.
Wilkins was a fifth-round pick out of Missouri in 2018. Before the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had this to say about Wilkins.
“Finesse runner with good size and great agility with the lateral agility to elude tacklers in the open field and the speed to make them feel it,” Zierlein noted in his report. “Wilkins lacks the aggressive running demeanor to take it to tacklers, but he does have moments of effectiveness along the interior thanks to his footwork and vision.”
With Ford out of the picture, it will be up to Kareem Hunt to carry the load. The Browns signed Hunt on September 21, shortly after Chubb was ruled out for the season.
Hunt has been working his way back into game fitness for the Browns, and he’s had double-digit carries in the last two games. He’s had 32 carries for 103 yards and three touchdowns, including two against the Colts.
With the game on the line on fourth down, the Browns relied on Hunt, who was nursing a thigh injury. He pushed the ball into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
“Did you see what I saw? What did that one take? “It took guts,” remarked Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. “Speaking of guts. The old man was on one leg, and he wasn’t going down without a fight on that last play.”
Hunt has also has five receptions for 46 yards. Pierre Strong Jr., who is coming off a season-high eight carries, will assist him. This season, he has averaged 4.9 yards per carry.
Deshaun Watson’s health is still being evaluated by the Browns.
If quarterback Deshaun Watson misses any more time, the run game will become even more important. Watson has a rotator cuff strain and left the game against the Colts after taking a hard hit.
His availability for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks is uncertain, and the Browns are taking things one day at a time.
“I’m really day-to-day, as you can imagine,” Stefanski admitted. “I know that [you all are] probably sick of me saying that, but I just got to take the information every single day as we make decisions.”
Watson didn’t seem good before leaving the game. He was 1-of-5 for five yards with an interception and his throws lacked zip.
Heavy.com’s J.R. DeGroote covers the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Lakers. As a reporter for West Hawaii Today, he covered local and statewide sports, and he has decades of expertise in digital journalism, having previously worked for SB Nation and Bleacher Report. He has received numerous state, regional, and national awards for sports reporting and photography.More information on J.R. DeGroote