March 14, 2026, 2:34 p.m. ET

Teams have been officially allowed to sign free agents for almost a week now. The Washington Commanders have added several players already, making improvements on both sides of the ball.

Some of the team’s notable additions are edge-rusher Odafe Oweh, linebacker Leo Chenal, and running back Rachaad White. On Saturday, the team made another addition to the offense, adding veteran running back Jerome Ford, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

Ford spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The running back didn’t factor in much as a rookie or in 2025, but he was a productive rotational back in 2023 and 2024.

In 2023, Ford rushed for a career-high 813 yards and four scores. The running back had 565 yards and three scores in 2024, but was reduced to just 73 yards in 2025.

In Washington, Ford should just be a solid insurance policy behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White. Croskey-Merritt had some flashes as a rookie, but the team clearly wants more consistency out of the ground game in 2026.

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White, who was a college teammate of Jayden Daniels, should receive plenty of carries and also contribute in the passing game. Ford will likely get some third-down reps and help out around the goal line.