Browns Tagged as Most Likely Trade Partner for $16.5 Million RB

The Cleveland Browns offense is a mess and the return timetable/future of four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb remains uncertain, which makes an expensive team a candidate to trade at the position.

Dan Graziano of ESPN named Cleveland the most likely suitor for New York Giants running back Devin Singletary should he become available ahead of the NFL’s November 5 trade deadline.

“The Giants feel like another team that’s more likely to be selling than buying come early November, and they like Tyrone Tracy Jr., whom they drafted in the fifth round out of Purdue. If Tracy comes on strong, the season starts to slip away and someone comes asking for Singletary, you have to think the Giants would at least consider it,” Graziano wrote on Friday, September 20. “With no timetable for Nick Chubb’s return (knee), a bit of a merry-go-round at the position in Chubb’s absence and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey’s experience with Singletary in Buffalo, this would make sense.”

Singletary is in the first year of a three-year, $16.5 million contract. Graziano pointed out that $3.5 million of the running back’s 2025 salary is fully guaranteed, which means a significant financial commitment beyond the balance of this season at a position that much of the league has devalued in recent years.

Devin Singletary Has Been Healthy, Productive Over Entire NFL Career

That said, Singletary has been a consistent producer and reliable from a health perspective ever since 2020 — his second year in the league while a member of the Buffalo Bills.

The running back has appeared in every game, save one, over the past four-plus years. He has also started every contest in which he has played over that stretch, minus seven outings with the Houston Texans last season.

For his career, Singletary has amassed 4,181 rushing yards and 21 TDs on 914 carries (4.6 yards per attempt), according to Pro Football Reference. He has improved on that figure during his age-27 season, and first campaign with the Giants, by averaging 5.1 yards per rush through two games.

Singletary can also catch the football out of the backfield, tallying 180 receptions for 1,179 yards and 4 TDs during his 80 games as a pro.

Browns Thin at Running Back Behind Jerome Ford

With Chubb sidelined by a knee injury he suffered all the way back in Week 2 of last season, the running back position in Cleveland has belonged to Jerome Ford now for more than a full calendar year.

Ford has proven himself more than competent, scoring 10 total TDs in 19 games over the past two seasons. The problem, however, is how thin the position group is behind him on the depth chart.

Pierre Strong Jr. began the year as Ford’s backup RB and figures to drop back to third-string when Chubb finally does return. However, Strong is out this week with a hamstring injury, which bumps D’Onta Foreman into the No. 2 role.

Cleveland cut Foreman ahead of naming the unofficial 53-man roster at the end of August, but then re-signed him to the practice squad. The Browns added reinforcements this week by signing Gary Brightwell and elevating him to the active roster ahead of Sunday’s game against the Giants.

Brightwell played for New York last season, appearing in seven games on the year. He may see action against his former team, while Cleveland will get an up-close look at Singletary, who is starting for the Giants this week.