The Cleveland Browns already decided to make one of their long-time starters an offer that kept him with the franchise this offseason when they signed Myles Garrett to a massive deal earlier this month.
Yet, the future of another Browns’ standout performer doesn’t exactly have a guaranteed future in the city of Cleveland at this time.
Browns Insider Provides Update on Nick Chubb
If Garrett has been the heart and soul of the Browns’ defense over the last seven years, then Nick Chubb should be considered the player who represents Cleveland’s offense on the opposite side of that coin.
Browns’ Insider Mary Kay Cabot provided a quick update on the Browns’ plans surrounding the veteran running back in a recent article on Cleveland.com.
Cabot wrote, “The plan with Nick Chubb was always to let him hit the free agent market and see what kind of opportunities he could generate. If he doesn’t find anything, the door will be open to him returning to the Browns as long as they have a role for him.”
Cabout added, “With Chubb not necessarily suited to a third-down back niche, the Browns would have to make sure they have enough carries for him on first and second down and in short-yardage situations.”
The Browns backfield situation has been mostly in flux since Chubb suffered a devastating knee injury back in Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Over the last two years, Jerome Ford has been the team’s leading rusher — amassing 1,922 total yards from scrimmage to go with 12 touchdowns over the past two seasons.
Chubb was able to return to the field last year, but didn’t look like the same player we’ve become to accustomed to seeing since he entered the NFL back in 2018.
Chubb’s 3.25 yards per carry in 2024 was a career low by a wide margin, with his previous worst per-carry efficiency marks back in 2019 when he averaged 5.01 yards per carry.
Does the context of a back returning from a devastating knee injury at the age of 28 years require some level of understanding? Yes, but his drop in efficiency combined with his age (turned 29 at the end of last year) and injury history does give him a bit of a cloudy future as a leading back in the NFL entering the 2025 season.
Prior to 2023, Chubb started his career five straight years of 1,100+ total yards and 8+ TDs. One could argue his career was on a Hall of Fame-type trajectory prior to that knee injury derailing the last two years of his career.
Chubb’s future with the team is uncertain at this time, but a reunion is definitely not off the table.
Browns Other Options at Running Back
The aforementioned Ford could be in line to lead this backfield entering the 2025 NFL season with just Pierre Strong Jr. on the roster, if the Browns elect not to bring back Chubb for an eighth year with the team.
The Browns could also choose to add a running back in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, where players like Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, Kaleb Johnson, and Ollie Gordon all could be Day 2 options in what is considered a very deep and talented running back class in 2025.
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Browns Insider Provides Update on Star RB