Running back Nick Chubb was one of the best players in Cleveland Browns history over the first five years of his career, but season-ending injuries have plagued the four-time Pro Bowler in each of the past two seasons.
Chubb agreed to considerably less guaranteed money on a restructured contract in 2024 to remain in Cleveland, which was the final year on his previous contract. He hit free agency earlier this month and remains available to any team in the NFL.
That said, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on Sunday, March 16, that Cleveland is "open" to bringing Chubb back to the team.
"Chubb didn’t find a new home in the first wave of free agency, and the Browns will be open to re-signing him in the second wave if they determine they’ll have a role for him," Cabot wrote . "They’ll also likely draft a running back in this rich class to pair with Jerome Ford, or acquire one in a trade or free agency."
Chubb will turn 30 years old in late December, at the very end of the upcoming season. The 30th birthday has often proved an accurate line of biological demarcation between one's prime and the backend of one's career at the running back position across NFL history. But players like Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens have proven that's not always the case.
Coming off of a broken foot in 2024 and a devastating knee injury in 2023 that required multiple surgeries to repair and sidelined Chubb for more than 13 months, he isn't likely to find a big payday anywhere -- even by running back standards. Because of that, a return to the familiarity of the Browns locker room and the city of Cleveland could make sense for Chubb, as he attempts to rebuild his value and prove he can stay healthy for a full campaign.
Spotrac projects Chubb's market value at $3.3 million on a new one-year contract.
