As Week 1 approaches, the Cleveland Browns have yet to provide a clear update on Nick Chubb’s highly anticipated return to the field.
Chubb suffered a significant knee injury in Week 2 last season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He missed the rest of the season and had both his ACL and MCL repaired during two separate surgeries.
There have been positive signs that Chubb could miss minimal time or even be active for Week 1. He’s back in the gym squatting massive amounts of weight and his on-field work sprinting and cutting has drawn positive reviews.
However, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is not ready to discuss the team’s decision to activate Chubb off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
“I’m not going to get too far down the road on that type of stuff,” Stefanski said on Sunday, August 18. “I will tell you, I get to see him work out every day. He’s doing everything that he’s supposed to do and more but not going to get too far down the road.”
The Browns have until August 27 — when rosters are trimmed to 53 players — to decide on Chubb’s status for the start of the year.
Nick Chubb All Smiles During Browns’ Preseason Game
Chubb is still on the PUP list but has been around the team. The usually stoic running back even popped up during an in-game interview during Cleveland’s most recent preseason game on Saturday, August 17.
A smiling Chubb spoke with Browns sideline reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala and gave some insight into his thoughts on returning to the field.
“I feel good. Every day I come to work out, I move around and feel a lot better,” Chubb said before addressing his return more directly. “I do not [have a return date in mind]. One day at a time. Just working on getting faster and stronger every day.”
If the Browns do not activate Chubb off the PUP list, he won’t take up a roster spot but will have to miss the season’s first four games. As the Browns learned last season, his steady production is difficult to replace.
Chubb has collected 6,511 yards and 48 touchdowns in 77 career games — all with the Browns. He’s averaging 84.6 yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry.
Browns RB D’Onta Foreman Gets Hefty Workload
If Chubb misses time, the team will rely on a running back committee to fill the void. Free agent signing D’Onta Foreman will play a significant role in that group. Foreman suffered a scary injury in training camp that landed him in the hospital, but he bounced back quickly and saw his first preseason action against the Minnesota Vikings.
Foreman led the team in carries with 10 for 18 yards. He plunged in from 1-yard out in the first half for a score. He also caught five passes for 46 yards, including a nice 27-yard scamper. The Browns were happy with what they saw.
“Ran very hard, that’s kind of his game. He puts his weight down and stays low and goes forward,” Stefanski said of Foreman. “I thought that’s what he did when he got the ball in his hands and obviously had a nose for the goal line there down to our left.”
The Browns open the regular season on September 8 against the Dallas Cowboys.
