The Cleveland Browns added running back Troy Hairston to their roster on Tuesday as speculation about Nick Chubb’s future with the franchise continues to swirl.
Hariston was signed to a reserve-futures contract. Initially signed by Houston as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Hairston has appeared in 18 career games. Last season, he saw action in two games with the Texans but spent most of the season on their practice squad.
Hairston has never received an NFL carry but has caught five passes for 19 yards. He’s 5-foot-11 and 245 pounds. He has functioned as a tight end and full back during his carry, so the Browns are likely bringing him in for his blocking prowess rather than his ability to carry the ball.
In college, Hairston played linebacker and earned co-Defensive Player of the Year honors in the MAC. He converted to the offensive side of the ball once making it to the NFL.
Nick Chubb’s Future Remains Uncertain With Browns
The Browns will have some work to do to build up their backfield next season. Cleveland averaged 94.6 yards on the ground this season, ranking 29th in the NFL.
Central to the conversation is the future of Chubb, who was a franchise cornerstone but is coming off a down year and a season-ending broken foot. Chubb rushed for 332 yards on 102 carries with three touchdowns. His 3.3 yards per carry average was, by far, the lowest of his career.
Chubb is set to become a free agent in March, and it’s not a certainty that he’ll be back in Cleveland.
“He knows what the deal was when he walked out that door. He didn’t walk out with any preconceived notions that he’s definitely coming back. I think he’s probably going to have to decide what he wants to do,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot said during an appearance on “The Bullpen” with Adam The Bull. “And then if he doesn’t find what he wants out there, then maybe he’s willing to come back on some kind of a minimum contract, and they can work through some incentives and things like that.”
Browns Coy on Plans for Nick Chubb
Chubb has become more than just another player to the team, its fans and the city. He’s an icon in Cleveland and seeing him in another jersey would rub a lot of people the wrong way.
In all, Chubb has rushed for 6,843 yards and 51 touchdowns over 85 games with the Browns.
“I think everybody in this room knows how much respect we have for Nick and how much appreciation we have for not just his exploits on the field, but who he is in the locker room and who he is as a person,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in early January. “It’s always a challenging situation when one of your cornerstone players, their contract is up. That’s probably maybe a little bit of a different situation this year relative to last, where there is maybe perhaps a little bit less control on the club side with it. Those are all decisions that we do have to work through in the next several weeks.”
If Chubb leaves, Jerome Ford will likely become the lead back in Cleveland. He’s lacked consistency but has shown some flashes with big runs. Ford has rushed for 1,390 yards and seven touchdowns during his three seasons with the Browns.
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