However, the move doesn’t help the Lions directly at the cornerback position, which is an area of greater and longer-term concern with regards to depth. As such, Detroit likely isn’t done adding to the secondary, and Douglas provides a reasonable solution.
Browns Expected to Trade Running Back Jerome Ford Ahead of 2025 NFL Trade Deadline
Posted October 16, 2025
The Cleveland Browns are in the midst of a rookie-led rebuild, which has already resulted in the team trading multiple high-profile players.
Among them are quarterback Kenny Pickett, now a backup with the Las Vegas Raiders, signal-caller Joe Flacco, now the starter for the Cincinnati Bengals, and former first-round cornerback Greg Newsome II, who landed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler predicted on Wednesday, that running back Jerome Ford will soon join the list of departed Browns ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline on Nov. 4.
"It's a rookie show in Cleveland. Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson will man the backfield moving forward," Fowler wrote. "The Browns have remained active in the market with three trades executed in recent weeks. And Ford has enough cachet in the league -- with 1,378 rushing yards and seven touchdowns over 2023-24 -- to attract interest."
Ford has started 18 games over the course of his professional career, amassing 1,463 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. He has also caught 99 passes for 611 receiving yards and five scores through the air, giving him a grand total of nearly 2,100 yards gained from scrimmage and 12 total touchdowns across 50 games played.
There are a handful of teams that might be interested in Ford, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. And the trade market isn't exactly flush with available running backs, though Breece Hall of the New York Jets will probably be more sought after around the league than will Ford should he hit the trade block.
Ford is earning just $1.75 million in 2025 and is a free agent next March, which should make him easy for the Browns to trade. He would also likely go for a late Day 3 pick, which means he represents minimal risk to any team potentially interested in acquiring him for the second half of the season.
A lot of names have been mentioned since Brian Branch was suspended. What do you think about the Bills’ $27 million DB?
The Detroit Lions will play against one of the NFL’s best offenses when they square off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Monday Night Football” on October 20 — and Detroit will do so without three of its regular starters in the secondary.
The Lions won’t have cornerbacks Terrion Arnold, who is out with a shoulder injury, or D.J. Reed, who is on IR with a hamstring stain. Safety Brian Branch will also miss the contest due to a one-game suspension without pay from the league after he started a fight with Kansas City Chiefs players following Detroit’s game there on Sunday night, October 12.
And while Branch is just out one contest, and the Lions have a bye following the game against the Bucs that might allow Arnold a chance to return to the field after missing just one more outing, Detroit’s secondary could clearly use reinforcements.
As such, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus mentioned the Lions as a top potential trade partner for cornerback Rasul Douglas, currently of the Miami Dolphins.
“Douglas didn’t sign with the Dolphins until late August, which was surprising given his pedigree. As it turns out, there are likely a myriad of teams that would have liked to have added Douglas earlier based on his play in 2025,”
Locker wrote. “Douglas has posted a 77.9 PFF coverage grade with three pass breakups across 161 coverage snaps, looking more like the standout player we saw in 2023. At 1-5 and with persistent locker room turmoil, Miami will likely have a “for sale” sign up. The 30-year-old rental could help [several teams].”
Rasul Douglas Well Respected as Player, Teammate Across Multiple NFL Stops
Douglas, now 31 years old, is a nine-year NFL veteran. He began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles and then played one season with the Carolina Panthers before landing with the Green Bay Packers.
The cornerback played two-plus years with Green Bay and signed a three-year deal worth $21 million to stay with the Packers in March 2022. The franchise ended up trading him to the Buffalo Bills ahead of the 2023 mid-season trade deadline, where Douglas remained through the end of last year.
All told, Douglas has earned just shy of $27 million in his professional career and teammates across multiple stops have lauded him as a locker room leader. He has tallied 83 pass breakups, 19 INTs, four forced fumbles, three sacks and three defensive TDs across 126 games played (84 starts).
Lions Add Former Chiefs Safety to Roster to Bolster Hampered Secondary
The Lions addressed the secondary to some degree on Wednesday night, adding Jammie Robinson via the Kansas City practice squad.
“The Lions are signing DB Jammie Robinson to a one-year deal, per source,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported via X. “Was with Kansas City’s practice squad previously. Detroit depleted in secondary.”
