Former Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is expected to be on the move again this offseason after spending just one year with the Houston Texans.
Chubb signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with Houston after Cleveland elected not to re-sign the longtime fan favorite. His role expanded early in the season with Joe Mixon out, giving Chubb more opportunities than initially anticipated.
Chubb finished the season with 122 carries for 506 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt. However, his production tapered off as the year progressed. Chubb never reached the 100-yard mark in a single game, with his best outing coming in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens, when he rushed for 61 yards. By the back half of the season, second-year back Woody Marks had taken over the bulk of the workload.
Chubb’s time in Houston appears to be nearing its end. According to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans are unlikely to bring him back in free agency.
“Nick Chubb and Dare Ogunbowale are also free agents, and while Ogunbowale could return, Chubb likely won’t,” Alexander wrote. “But the Texans need an upgrade. When they drafted Woody Marks last year, he was intended to be a No. 2. Not that he can’t ever be a No. 1, but they can’t take that chance next year. They need a No. 1 next season, or at least someone to compete with him for the starting running back role.”
Ex-Browns RB Nick Chubb Has Troubling Injury History
A major positive for Chubb last season was his availability. He appeared in 15 games and made nine starts, an encouraging sign after a stretch marred by serious injuries. In the two previous seasons combined, Chubb had managed just 10 games in Cleveland.
His durability was very much in question after a devastating setback in Week 2 of the 2023 season, when he suffered a catastrophic knee injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers, tearing both his MCL and ACL. The severity of the damage sparked real concern about whether he’d ever return to the field. Chubb underwent two surgeries and missed the rest of the season, with his rehab extending well into the following year.
Chubb finally made his return in Week 7 of the following season, but his comeback hit another roadblock late in the year. In Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, he fractured his foot, cutting his season short once again.
Reunion With Browns Unlikely for Nick Chubb
Chubb ending up back with the Browns appears very unlikely. Cleveland drafted both Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson to retool their backfield and both showed upside during their rookie campaigns.
Judkins finished with 230 carries for 827 yards and seven touchdowns. Sampson proved to be a solid change-of-pace complement to Judkins, finishing with 175 rushing yards and 271 receiving yards.
Chubb did not leave Cleveland on bad terms. Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam released a statement after deciding to move on from Chubb, saying he’s expected back in Cleveland one day as a Ring of Honor inductee.
“Nick has always been about hard work and letting his play on the field do the talking for him. We are so grateful for the many moments he created on the field that we will never forget. … Nick always puts winning above any personal accolade, and that is what makes him so special. Thank you for being a Brown, Nick, and we look forward to the day we celebrate your career as a member of our Ring of Honor.”
Over seven seasons in Cleveland, Chubb rushed for 6,843 yards and 51 touchdowns.
Ex-Browns RB Nick Chubb Gets Bad News on NFL Future