Nick Chubb’s time with the Cleveland Browns appears to be over as the former Pro Bowler prepares for his first foray into free agency.
Chubb is coming off another season-ending injury. He suffered a broken foot in December, following a pair of surgeries to repair a serious knee injury he suffered in 2023. The knee injury kept Chubb out for over a year, but he returned to much fanfare.
Despite the feel-good story, Chubb did not produce at his typical levels. He appeared in just eight games last season due to injuries. In all, he rushed for 332 yards on 102 carries with three touchdowns last season. Chubb’s 3.3 yards per carry average was, by far, the lowest of his career.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot feels like it’s safe to say the “Chubb era” is over in Cleveland and that the team is not planning to bring him back.
“It’s the end of the Nick Chubb era in Cleveland, and it’s sad it has to end this way,” Cabot said. “Chubb has stated unequivocally since late in the season that he wanted to come back, but it’s probably not going to happen. The Browns gave him last season to return from the injury, make more than $2 million, and walk away with some grace and dignity despite being a shadow of his former bruising self.”
Browns Have Been Vauge About Nick Chubb’s Situation
Watching Chubb play in another uniform will be tough. He’s become an icon in the city, leading in his own stoic way. However, the Browns are expecting Chubb to test free agency to see what other opportunities are out there.
“I do expect Nick to hit the market. Obviously, his contract is up this year,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said at the NFL Combine. “We’ll meet with his reps and everything like that. But it’s something we need to work on the next couple of weeks.”
There is a chance that no other team is willing to roll the dice on soon-to-be 30-year-old running back coming off two injury-shortened seasons. It could lead to Chubb returning to Cleveland on a modest contract with incentive upside, although what his workload would look like with the Browns is unknown.
Jerome Ford is the leading in-house candidate to take over the role. But the Browns could also look to the draft or free agency for a capable runner.
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