gs. NFC East Shakeup: Cowboys Land Browns’ Top-Performer, Unleashing a Player Fresh Off an 82.5 Point Masterclass.
In a move that’s sending shockwaves through the AFC North and injecting fresh adrenaline into the NFC East playoff race, the Dallas Cowboys have pulled off a midseason masterstroke by acquiring running back Jerome Ford from the Cleveland Browns. The trade, finalized just hours before the NFL’s 2025 trade deadline, sees Dallas sending a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to Cleveland in exchange for the 28-year-old veteran. It’s a low-risk, high-reward deal for the Cowboys, who desperately need a reliable third-down back to complement their aerial fireworks—and it couldn’t come at a better time for Ford, who’s still riding the high of an 82.5 PFF grade in Week 3, where he bulldozed through Baltimore’s front seven for 112 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries.
This isn’t just any swap; it’s a seismic shift that exposes the Browns’ ongoing offensive identity crisis while bolstering a Cowboys squad that’s been teetering on the edge of contention. At 3-4-1, Dallas sits a game behind the surging Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East, but their offense—powered by MVP frontrunner Dak Prescott’s league-leading 2,847 passing yards and 22 touchdowns—has been a one-dimensional thrill ride. Prescott’s hot streak, complete with a 68.4% completion rate and just four interceptions, has masked a ground game that’s sputtered like a faulty muffler. Enter Ford, the ultimate Swiss Army knife who can catch, block, and grind out those pesky yards when the defense stacks the box.
Browns’ Fire Sale: Trading Talent to Rebuild Around Rookies
For the Browns, mired at 2-6 after a brutal start to the 2025 season, this trade feels like the first domino in a larger offensive overhaul. Cleveland’s switch to rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel—a bold pivot from the steady Joe Flacco—hasn’t ignited the spark they hoped for, leaving an aging offensive line exposed and a once-potent attack riddled with holes. But amid the chaos, their defense remains an impenetrable fortress, ranking third in the league in points allowed (18.2 per game) and forcing 15 turnovers. It’s Super Bowl-caliber stuff, the kind that carried them to the playoffs in 2024, but without offensive firepower, it’s just a talented group watching from the sidelines.
Enter the running back room, where Cleveland has struck gold in the 2025 NFL Draft. Second-round steal Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State) and fourth-round gem Dylan Sampson (Tennessee) have formed a thunder-and-lightning duo reminiscent of Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Judkins, the bruising power back, has exploded for 458 yards and five scores on 112 carries, while Sampson’s elusiveness has netted 312 yards and three touchdowns, including a league-high 7.2 yards per carry among rookies with 50+ touches. Together, they’ve pushed Ford to the bench, rendering the former undrafted free agent expendable despite his reliability as Nick Chubb’s spell back.
Ford’s departure isn’t a slight—it’s pragmatic housekeeping. In Cleveland’s final two games before the trade, he posted PFF grades of 72.9 in Week 4 and that eye-popping 82.5 in Week 3, showcasing elite pass protection (zero pressures allowed on 28 pass-blocking snaps) and sure hands (five catches for 42 yards). But with Judkins and Sampson owning the backfield, the Browns are prioritizing youth and draft capital. General Manager Andrew Berry, who’s built a draft machine under head coach Kevin Stefanski (barring the ongoing QB roulette), targeted a fourth- or fifth-rounder but settled for the sixth—still a win for a team eyeing a full reset.
The sting? They shipped Flacco, their grizzled bridge QB, to divisional foes the Cincinnati Bengals, where he’s torched secondaries for 1,892 yards and 14 touchdowns, proving Cleveland’s woes weren’t on the 40-year-old’s shoulders. Now, with Gabriel under center and holes everywhere else, trading Ford clears cap space ($2.1 million) and lets the rookies cook.
Cowboys’ Ground Game Gets a Veteran Spark
Over in Dallas, this acquisition is less a luxury and more a necessity. The Cowboys’ backfield has been a committee of question marks: Javonte Williams leads with 124 carries for 512 yards (4.1 YPC), but Miles Sanders and rookie Jaydon Blue have combined for just 42 touches and zero fumbles—though their pass-blocking grades hover in the mid-50s, per PFF. With Dallas’s defense leaking oil (28.5 points allowed per game, dead last in the NFC), games have devolved into high-scoring shootouts where Prescott slings it 40 times a night. Ford changes that script.
At 5’10” and 212 pounds, Ford isn’t a bell-cow like Williams, but he’s the perfect change-of-pace weapon: a 78.2% pass-block win rate, 6.4 yards per catch on 22 receptions this season, and zero fumbles in 156 career touches. Imagine him spelling Williams on third downs, chipping away at blitzing linebackers, or leaking out as a safety valve for Prescott in obvious passing situations. In a division where the Eagles boast Saquon Barkley and the Giants have Devin Singletary locked in, Ford gives Dallas that elusive “do-it-all” back for playoff warfare.
Head coach Mike McCarthy didn’t mince words post-trade: “Jerome’s a pro’s pro—blocks like a tackle, runs like a receiver. We’re not rebuilding; we’re reloading for January.” And with Prescott eyeing that MVP hardware, a balanced attack could vault the ‘Boys into the 6-4-1 territory by Thanksgiving, nipping at Philly’s heels.
Bigger Picture: Playoff Implications and What’s Next
This deal underscores the NFL’s midseason Darwinism: contenders hunt for edges, while cellar-dwellers stockpile futures. For Dallas, it’s step one in a defensive desperate for reinforcements—rumors swirl of pursuits for edge rushers like Maxx Crosby—but Ford’s addition stabilizes the trenches and buys time for Blue’s development. A sixth-rounder is chump change for a player who could net 400 scrimmage yards down the stretch.
Cleveland, meanwhile, doubles down on their “thunder-lightning” experiment. Judkins and Sampson aren’t just rookies; they’re the foundation of Stefanski’s vision—a ground-and-pound identity that masked QB inconsistencies in Minnesota. Paired with Gabriel’s mobility and a top-tier D, the Browns could claw back into wild-card contention if the offense gels. But for now, it’s about accumulation: Berry’s draft hits (Judkins, Sampson, and a slew of Day 3 gems) have the fanbase buzzing about 2026, not 2025.
As the deadline dust settles, one thing’s clear: Jerome Ford’s 82.5-point masterclass wasn’t a fluke—it’s a preview of the havoc he’ll wreak in America’s Team. NFC East, buckle up. The Cowboys just got a whole lot meaner on the margins, and the playoffs just got a whole lot spicier.
