Nick Chubb remains a free agent, which is good news for the Cleveland Browns if they hope to bring back the fan-favorite running back.
Things have been quiet for Chubb during his first foray into free agency. There hasn’t been much buzz about teams being interested, and he’s yet to take any visits. It’s unfortunate for Chubb — a four-time Pro Bowler who would have once been a valued commodity as a free agent.
However, it’s good news for the Browns if the team wants an affordable reunion with the 29-year-old running back.
“The longer Nick Chubb remains a free agent, the more likely it feels like he’ll return to Cleveland on a one year deal,” Browns insider Brad Stainbrook of the Orange & Brown Report wrote on X.
Waiting Game for Nick Chubb is OK for Browns
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has also expressed the sentiment from Stainbrook. She said it was always the plan for Chubb to test free agency to see what was out there. But that didn’t mean Cleveland was closed off to keeping Chubb.
“To my knowledge, Chubb hasn’t taken any visits and I’m not sure if he’s talked to any teams. The longer it goes without Chubb finding another team, the more likely it is that he’ll end up back with the Browns,” Cabot said in March. “I think they wanted to give him the chance to see what he could get on the open market before accepting what will likely be a modest offer from the Browns. And if a team was willing to give him a featured role, it would likely be tempting.
“But since no one has made him an offer yet — sometimes that happens after back gets hurt — the Browns will probably strongly consider signing him in the near future. They’ll probably also draft a back, but that won’t preclude them from bringing Chubb back home.”
Questions Remain About Nick Chubb’s Future
At face value, most Browns fans will support Chubb’s return to Cleveland. However, there are questions about his durability and reliability going forward.
In Week 2 of the 2023 season, he suffered a devastating left knee injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers, tearing his MCL and damaging his ACL. The injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year and some of the next.
After an extensive rehab process, Chubb returned to action in Week 7 of the 2024 season and made an immediate impact, scoring a touchdown in his first game back. But the comeback was short-lived. Chubb broke his foot in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, ending his season prematurely.
He finished last season with 332 rushing yards on 102 carries and three touchdowns, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry — by far the lowest mark of his career.Luckily for Chubb, the Browns don’t have a surefire option currently on the roster to replace him. Jerome Ford has seen some time as the lead back with Chubb sidelined. But Ford’s contributions have been inconsistent. Ford has rushed for 1,390 yards and seven touchdowns over three seasons with the Browns.
