The Cleveland Browns must find a new running back during the NFL offseason, as it is becoming blatantly obvious that Nick Chubb's days as an elite rusher are over.
Chubb is slated to hit free agency, and after his latest injury (a broken foot), it seems very unlikely that the Browns will re-sign. At least as far as re-signing him to be the featured back.
The problem for Cleveland is that it has a rough financial situation, so it won't be able to splurge on a halfback.
Taking that into consideration, here are three affordable running back options for the Browns in free agency.
It has been an absolutely miserable season for the San Francisco 49ers, but one of their few bright spots has been Jordan Mason.
Filling in for the injured Christian McCaffrey, Mason has rushed for 789 yards and three touchdowns while averaging a robust 5.2 yards per carry in 12 games.
Here's the catch: Mason is a restricted free agent, so the 49ers can make it difficult for the Browns to land him. Still, given how tight San Francisco's wallet currently is, the Niners may allow him to walk without much of a fight.
The Dallas Cowboys were much-maligned for not signing Derrick Henry in free agency, but Rico Dowdle has certainly been one heck of a contributor in their backfield.
The 26-year-old has racked up 903 yards and a score while posting 4.8 yards per attempt in 2024. In addition, he has hauled in 36 receptions for 233 yards and three touchdowns.
Dowdle rattled off three straight performances with well over 100 yards rushing between Weeks 13 and 15, topping out at 149 yards on Dec. 15.
Kenneth Gainwell is stuck behind Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia, so it seems likely that the 25-year-old will depart the Eagles in free agency.
Gainwell has registered 272 yards and a touchdown this year, recording 4.5 yards per tote. He has been moderately efficient throughout his four-year career, averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
Additionally, Gainwell has shown the ability to be a solid pass-catcher out of the backfield, as he has snared 99 balls for 707 yards while reaching the end zone once over the course of his NFL tenure.
Gainwell will unquestionably be one of the cheapest options Cleveland can find who will still be able to produce.
That brings us to the riskiest halfback here: J.K. Dobbins.
When healthy, Dobbins is terrific, but that's just the thing: he has been unable to stay on the field since entering the league with the Baltimore Ravens in 2020.
He signed with the Los Angeles Chargers last spring and was enjoying a very productive campaign with them through 11 games, tallying 766 yards and eight touchdowns on 4.8 yard per attempt. However, a knee injury landed him on the injured reserve list.
Dobbins, 26, has only appeared in 35 contests through five NFL seasons, so a one-year deal laced with incentives is probably the way to go here.
