New Cleveland Browns running back D’Onta Foreman will have to earn his roster spot in training camp with the return of Nick Chubb looming.
The Browns signed Foreman this offseason to beef up their running back depth with a veteran amid some uncertainty around Chubb’s return. But with the Pro Bowl back seemingly ahead of schedule, Foreman could be disposable for the Browns as they chop down the roster.
Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal identified the battle between Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. as one to watch during training camp. Depending on Chubb’s status, a roster spot could be at stake.
“This really is a trickle-down effect of the uncertainty around Chubb and when he’ll truly be available to play. If Chubb has to start on injured reserve, then this may become a moot point. If he doesn’t, then it does seem hard to fathom the Browns keeping five running backs on the active roster,” Easterling said on Monday, July 8. “Foreman, signed as a free agent, has had moments since coming into the league in 2017, including a 900-yard rushing season with the Carolina Panthers in 2022. Strong, who was acquired last August in a trade with the New England Patriots, was one of the Browns’ best special teams performers last season. That, along with being the younger player, might be the deciding factor.”
D’Onta Foreman Could Play Kareem Hunt Role for Browns
Foreman has bounced around the last three seasons with three teams but has been productive. Last year, he started eight games with the Chicago Bears. Foreman recorded 425 yards on 109 carries, finding the end zone four times.
His best year came in 2022 with the Carolina Panthers. Foreman ran for 914 yards on 203 carries — a 4.5 yards per carry average — with 5 touchdowns.
The Browns have said the addition of Foreman was less about Chubb’s health and more about filling the void left by Kareem Hunt’s departure. Hunt is still a free agent but very unlikely to return to the Browns.
“D’Onta, he really, I think, has a skillset that’s probably pretty similar to how we used Kareem this past year,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on March 29.
Optimism Around Nick Chubb’s Returning for Browns
Chubb suffered a catastrophic knee injury in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. He had both his ACL and MCL repaired during two separate surgeries. The latest of those came in November. The Browns and Chubb have not put any firm return timeline in place.
“I’m getting better every day, taking it day by day, getting better,” Chubb said in June. “Yeah, just right now, trying to get stronger.
“I like where I’m at. I’m where I need to be, I would say that. The biggest thing for me is getting better every day.”
A recent video that circulated on social media showed Chubb working out and looking sharp. His personal trainer, Brad Lester, expressed optimism after working with Chubb up close.
“I even had to ask him, ‘Which knee was it again?’” Lester told Cleveland.com. “He said ‘the left one.’ I said, ‘That’s good that I can’t even tell.’ He’s way ahead of schedule in my opinion.”
The Browns open the year against the Dallas Cowboys on September 8.
