The Cleveland Browns will let fan-favorite running back Nick Chubb test free agency, potentially ending his tenure with the team.
Chubb’s contract with the Browns is up, and the team has been very non-committal about bringing him back. Browns general manager Andrew Berry spoke to reporters at the NFL Combine on Tuesday and confirmed that Chubb is expected to test free agency for the first time in his career.
“I do expect Nick to hit the market. Obviously, his contract is up this year,” Berry said. “We’ll meet with his reps and everything like that. But it’s something we need to work on the next couple of weeks.”
Chubb has said that he’d like to stay with the Browns. He’s spent all seven years of his career in Cleveland, racking up four Pro Bowl selections.
“Of course,” Chubb said of returning, per the Akron Beacon Journal. “This is where I was drafted. This is where I’ve played the last seven years.”
Chubb — a second-round pick of Cleveland in 2018 — did not sound eager to test the open market.
“I’m not sure how it’ll work,” Chubb said. “This is the first time I’ve been a free agent. But I’d like to get it done sooner than later.”
Browns Have Concerns About Nick Chubb
Chubb 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.
Chubb missed the start of the season as he continued recovering from two knee surgeries. After returning, his season ended early with a broken foot.
The Browns were adamant that Chubb would return last season despite his significant knee injury. But Berry sounded less confident in his end-of-season press conference.
“It’s always a challenging situation when one of your cornerstone players, their contract is up. That’s probably maybe a little bit the different situation this year relative to relative to last, where there is maybe perhaps a little bit less control on the club side with it,” Berry said. “We love Nick. He’s going to be a Ring of Honor player for us, and we know that.”
Browns Have to Reshape Offense
The Browns have a lot of work to do this offseason to rebuild their offense. Quarterback will be the primary concern, with Deshaun Watson no longer in the team’s plans moving forward. Watson struggled last season before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. Watson suffered a setback in his recovery, requiring an additional surgery that is expected to sideline him most of next season.
Cleveland has the No. 2 overall pick in the draft and could pick one of the top quarterbacks — likely either Cam Ward of Shedeur Sanders. If not, the Browns could look for a veteran replacement like Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers.
If Chubb is no longer in the picture, Jerome Ford would likely assume the lead-back role for Cleveland. He’s rushed for 1,390 yards and seven touchdowns over three seasons in Cleveland.
