Over his first five years in the league, Nick Chubb was one of the best running backs in the NFL. His time with the Browns, the franchise who drafted him, may soon be coming to an end.
Since Chubb suffered a devastating knee injury in 2023, his prospects of spending his entire career as a Brown have diminished. Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported Tuesday that the Browns would likely be moving on from Chubb this offseason. The 29-year-old back is an unrestricted free agent.
“Chubb has stated unequivocally since late in the season that he wanted to come back, but it’s probably not going to happen,” Cabot wrote. “The Browns gave him last season to return from the injury, make more than $2 million and walk away with some grace and dignity despite being a shadow of his former bruising self. But Chubb, a freak of nature with superhuman traits, has vowed he’ll be better in his second season out from his two surgeries and some teams are likely willing to give him a chance.”
Cabot also said that Chubb would’ve never considered asking to be traded and wanted to finish his career in Cleveland, comparing him to Browns legend Joe Thomas.
In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Chubb tore his MCL, meniscus and ACL in a game against the Steelers. In eight games this season, the four-time Pro Bowl back had 332 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 3.3 yards per attempt.
With Chubb likely leaving in free agency and Myles Garrett requesting a trade, Cleveland may begin next season without two of the players that have shaped the last half-decade of the Browns’ franchise.
