Dawgs By Nature
The best running back the franchise has seen in years is a free agent
The Cleveland Browns are known for having exceptional running backs. It is one of the hallmarks of their storied franchise.
Jim Brown. Kevin Mack. Ernest Byner. Bo Scott. Greg Pruitt. Bobby Mitchell. Leroy Kelly, to name a few. Oh, and a guy named Marion Motley.
Add Nick Chubb to that list.
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The fanbase absolutely loves Chubb. Go to any home game and count the number of #24 jerseys in attendance. It is staggering. White jerseys, brown, orange – does not matter. They are everywhere with a bold 2-4 emblazoned front and back.
However, the franchise is going to have to make a decision regarding the talented back during the off-season.
Chubb, age 29, is a free agent. That means his contract with Cleveland is up. His cap hit in 2024 was $6.28 million despite only playing eight games.
He had a horrible knee injury in 2023 in the Week 2 matchup against division foe Pittsburgh Steelers. He was later diagnosed with a torn MCL and a damaged ACL which required surgery and an intensive rehab. He landed on IR and was out of football from September of 2023 until he returned to action in late October of this past season.
When he returned to the field against the Cincinnati Bengals, he started the game but had just 11 carries. That only gained 22 yards, but he did score a touchdown.
As the weeks rolled off the calendar, Chubb’s production was minimal. In only three of his eight games, he gained more than 50 yards: 59, 52, and 50. These were his highest outputs. The most carries since returning were 20 attempts in the 24-19 win over the Steelers in Week 12. In all, he had 102 carries for 332 yards, 17 first-down conversions, and three touchdowns. He also had five receptions for 31 yards with one score.
Chubb has always been a back that has achieved high numbers for yards after contact (YAC). His rankings: 2022 - #3 with 702 yards; 2021 - #2: 692; 2020 - #9: 512; 2019 - #2: 882; 2018 (rookie) - #4: 598. His YAC numbers for this past season were just 162 yards.
Right now, the Browns do not know exactly what they have in Chubb. They have seen his return to the game, and even with a small sample size, nobody is impressed.
He has lost a bit of speed and that other gear that he is famous for once he hits a gap is gone.
Jerome Ford is a decent back and is good for a change of direction, but he isn’t a star in this league. He never will be. He is a complimentary back who runs hard and every once in a while will hit a big run. Pierre Strong just may be the best back of the group if given enough snaps to prove...
