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The Cleveland Browns gave a brief update on injured running back Nick Chubb on Thursday ahead of a critical matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Chubb has been out since September 18 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s already had surgery on his injured MCL and is expected to have a second surgery to repair his ACL soon.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about Chubb’s status on Wednesday, November 9.
“He’s here today and doing well,” Stefanski said, noting that he doesn’t know when the ACL surgery will be taking place.
Chubb had surgery on his MCL back on Sept. 30 and the team said the ACL surgery would be in the coming months. The estimated recovery time for Chubb indicated that he would be able to “return to play at some point in the 2024 season,” per the Browns’ official site.
The injury has put the Browns in an interesting situation with Chubb, who carries a $16 million cap hit next season. It’s the third-highest in the league among running backs and Chubb has no guaranteed money left on his deal.
With the Browns set to be in a cap struggle next season — thanks in large part to Deshaun Watson’s $64 million cap hit — Cleveland will have to find ways to pinch pennies. It would cost the Browns just $4 million in dead money to release Chubb but they could also rework his deal.
Much of that depends on how much he’ll be able to play next season. Prior to the injury, Chubb was poised to be an anomaly in a slumping running back market. Now, the Browns need to carefully navigate the situation with the fan-favorite back.
Kareem Hunt Said Nick Chubb is Doing ‘Real Good’
Chubb’s teammate and good friend Kareem Hunt offered an update on the four-time Pro Bowler on Nov. 2.
“Nick is doing real good. You all are actually taking up some of my time to go chill with him right now,” Hunt said. “But Nick’s doing real good. He’s keeping his spirits high. He’s working hard in the training room and I know he’s looking forward to getting back.”
Chubb was on pace for another outstanding season before going down with the injury. He had just 28 carries but had already notched 170 yards with a 6.1 yards per carry average.
The Browns have relied heavily on Chubb since he arrived in Cleveland back in 2018 as a second-round pick. He rushed for 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns during the 2022-23 season. It was his fourth consecutive season rushing for over 1,000 yards, and his career 5.3 per carry average is among the league’s elite.
Browns’ Running Game Hitting Its Stride
The Browns’ running game struggled initially without Chubb but the ground game has bounced back in recent weeks. Cleveland ranks No. 3 in the league with 147.9 yards on the ground per game. It’s been a committee approach, with Hunt, Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. helping carry the load.
“I think we’re learning,” Stefanski said. “Pierre showed up late to camp, so really getting an understanding of what he fits for us. Obviously, Kareem showed up late but was in great shape. And we kind of know Kareem and know his skill set. And then Jerome is still a young player, so part of it is just getting to know your players and fitting them in there when appropriate.”
The Browns will face a stiff test this week against a stingy Ravens defense that is giving up just 10 points per game at home this season. Baltimore is allowing just 91.9 rushing yards per game.
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