Nick Chubb Expected To Reach Free Agency

Browns general manager Andrew Berry said that the team is not planning to re-sign running back Nick Chubb ahead of next month’s free agency.

“I would say at this point that we do expect Nick to hit the market,” said Berry at the Combine (via Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot). “Obviously his contract is up this year. We’ll meet with his reps and everything like that, but it’s something that obviously we need to work through over the next couple weeks.”

Chubb was one of the NFL’s most consistent running backs for the first five seasons of his career before a brutal injury ended his 2023 season after just two games. A lengthy rehab process sidelined him until Week 7 of the 2024 season, and a broken foot in Week 14 put him back on the shelf for the last three games of the year.

A report right before Chubb’s second injury indicated that the Browns were interested in retaining Chubb, but based on Berry’s comments, their stance has clearly changed. Cleveland’s reluctance to re-sign the veteran running back is understandable given their cap situation and his injury history, but they will have to address the position this offseason. They have just two running backs under contract and neither is signed beyond the 2025 season. Expect the Browns to add to their backfield via the draft in April.

Chubb recently expressed a desire to stay in Cleveland, but he will first have to test a free agency market that has several younger starting options. If Chubb doesn’t receive much interest, he may be motivated to return to the Browns on an inexpensive one-year deal to rebuild his value next season.

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