Cleveland Browns are left picking up the pieces following a matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, they lost much more than just the game in Week 2.

Heading into Week 3, Cleveland is now without their best offensive player and the heart of the team in Nick Chubb. The fan favorite is out for the season with a significant knee injury and the Browns will now turn to Jerome Ford to carry the load.

While Ford has a big opportunity in front of him and could provide some good moments for the Browns like he did last night, he is no Chubb. The Browns now have just two healthy running backs on the roster, so bringing in a third one will happen once Chubb hits the injured reserve.

Here is a look at a few running backs on the free agent market that Cleveland could sign.

RB Kareem Hunt

The obvious one here is Hunt. He’s an Ohio guy who played the last four years of his career with the Browns. Cleveland let him walk following last season and he remains a free agent despite having a couple of offers.

Hunt’s production dropped off to 3.8 yards per carry last season from 4.9 the previous year. But that’s sort of the free agent market at running back now, guys either on the back end of their career or unproven.

If Cleveland wants Hunt back, they could surely bring him back. The ball would be in his court, he’s an option.

RB J.D. McKissic

Perhaps the best fit is McKissic to be the third down back who can provide the biggest boost in the receiving game. Last season injuries halted his season to just eight games with the Washington Commanders.

McKissic’s best season came in Washington during 2020 when he ran for 365 yards and added 589 receiving. For his career, the 30-year-old is good for about 24 yards per game receiving. While McKissic doesn’t offer much in the running game between the tackles, he is sort of intriguing as a pass catcher.

A different kind of running back than Jerome Ford and that may be what fits the Browns at this time. Pierre Strong Jr. would still take carries as the No. 2 running back and McKissic could provide an extra wrinkle.

RB Trey Sermon

Sermon has not been able to find his footing in the NFL after being a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to the San Francisco 49ers, a team that running backs could flourish in a rotation before Christian McCaffrey.

This preseason, Sermon was with the Philadelphia Eagles after appearing in two games for them in 2022. He ran the ball hard against Cleveland in the preseason but didn’t look all that great in their two other exhibitions.

With Ford and Strong as one and two on the depth chart, Sermon could perhaps fill that third spot. The talent was seen there at Ohio State late in the 2020 season, it just hasn’t translated for him. I believe Sermon is the longest shot of the four backs I highlight in this article.

RB Leonard Fournette

My personal pick to bring in would be Fournette. He’s a brushed of a back and can only be used in short-yardage situations but he does give you a capable receiving back. Fournette had two 1,000-yard seasons in Jacksonville in the three years he was there, before spending the last three years with Tampa Bay.

Fournette hit his stride in the pass-catching game with Tom Brady as his quarterback, which includes a career-high 523 receiving yards last season.

Another running back who is on the very back end of his career at 28 years old. Such an age is a testament to the shelf life of a running back in the NFL, it’s not long at all. 

Browns RB Jerome Ford presented the opportunity of his career due to unfortunate Nick Chubb injury

The opportunity has come for the second year running back.

Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports.