ClutchPoints
It’s not often that a four-time Pro Bowler with a reputation for toughness and consistency is still available in free agency this deep into the NFL offseason. Yet here we are with Nick Chubb. He is one of the most respected running backs of the past decade. Right now, he remains unsigned as teams finalize rosters heading into training camp. Sure, the market for aging running backs has become notoriously unforgiving. However, Chubb’s resume and experience still carry significant weight. Despite questions surrounding his post-injury explosiveness, the 29-year-old still has something to offer the right team in the right system. The only question that remains: which team will take the leap and bring in a back who was once among the very best in the league?
Chubb’s journey over the past two years has been anything but easy. After suffering a devastating MCL and ACL tear in Week 2 of the 2023 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers — an injury many feared would end his career — Chubb remarkably worked his way back to the field in 2024. He appeared in eight games, rushing for 332 yards on 102 carries at just 3.3 yards per attempt. That was the lowest mark of his career. Recall that he averaged over 5.0 yards per carry in five straight seasons from 2018 to 2022. As such, the drop-off was glaring. Of course, context matters: most skill-position players, especially running backs, typically need two full years to regain peak form after a catastrophic knee injury.
From 2019 to 2022, Chubb was undeniably one of the premier backs in football. He tallied a combined 5,345 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns during that four-year span. Not surprisingly, he also earned Pro Bowl nods each year. His vision, balance, and burst made him a nightmare for defenders and a workhorse in Cleveland’s offense. However, with the Browns now seemingly headed toward a rebuild, Chubb appears destined to wear a different uniform for the first time in his NFL career. Note that this was affected by Myles Garrett’s trade request and the restructured backfield centered around Jerome Ford. At this stage, Chubb’s best bet is a role in a backfield-by-committee. That’s where he can be an effective complement rather than the focal point.
Here we’ll try to to look at the teams that are the best fits for Nick Chubb late in the 2025 NFL free agency.
If there’s a marriage that feels natural, it’s Chubb and the Chicago Bears. Yes, Chicago added a few bodies to the running back room this offseason. Still, they waited until the seventh round of the NFL Draft to address the position. That signaled a lack of true urgency to upgrade. D’Andre Swift is the presumed lead back, but he’s always thrived more as a change-of-pace, receiving-oriented option. Pairing him with a seasoned, physical runner like Chubb would give Chicago a far more balanced and punishing attack.
Under new head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears...
