Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry said Friday that the possibility of re-signing Chubb (foot) is "increasingly unlikely" after the team added two running backs in the 2025 NFL Draft, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN reports.
Berry said he's "never going to rule out [Chubb]" and that he "would expect him to take another step being a year removed from the knee injury," but he made clear that "a return is less likely, at least in the short term, with us right now." In his statement, Berry specifically noted rookies Quinshon Judkins (a second-round pick) and Dylan Sampson (fourth round), as well as incumbent veteran Jerome Ford, as reasons a reunion with Chubb is currently off the table. Just as notably, Berry said that Chubb is fully recovered from the broken foot that forced him to miss the final three games of 2024. The 29-year-old running back struggled in his return from a left ACL tear last season, averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per carry across eight appearances before landing on IR in Week 15 due to his foot fracture. He'll work to regain some of his prior explosiveness and find a new opportunity to compete this offseason.
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Nick Chubb: No intention of retiring
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Chubb (foot) made a post on his personal Instagram account earlier this month suggesting that he has no plans to retire. "They've already wrote my ending when I'm just getting started," Chubb wrote in his post, which accompanied a video of him squatting over 500 pounds.
Chubb seems to have made some progress in his recovery from the season-ending foot fracture he suffered in mid-December. He didn't need surgery but still doesn't seem to have generated much interest in free agency this spring, with teams likely concerned he'll never come close to his prior explosiveness after suffering a multi-ligament injury in September 2023 to the same left knee he damaged in college. The 29-year-old running back isn't likely to get much guaranteed money but should at least find an opportunity to compete for carries at some point before training camp. The obvious fit right now is a return to Cleveland, where Jerome Ford sits atop the depth chart ahead of this week's draft.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: To hit open market
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Browns general manager Andrew Berry said Tuesday that he expects Chubb (foot) to test free agency this offseason, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Chubb is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year March 12, and it sounds as though Cleveland won't expend significant effort to re-sign the veteran running back. A four-time Pro Bowler, Chubb missed the first six games of the 2024 campaign while recovering from a serious knee injury, then managed only eight appearances before suffering a season-ending foot issue. In that span, he rushed 102 times for 332 yards and three scores, with a career-low 3.3 YPC. Chubb's foot injury won't require surgery to heal, but it's unclear whether the 29-year-old veteran will draw significant interest after playing just 10 combined games over the past two seasons. He may need to settle for a one-year prove-it deal to demonstrate he can still rediscover his old form.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Moves to IR, out for season
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The Browns placed Chubb (foot) on injured reserve Wednesday.
While Chubb isn't expected to require surgery to repair the left foot he fractured in this past Sunday's 21-7 loss to the Chiefs, the injury will keep him sidelined for the final three games of the season. Jerome Ford is expected to step in as the Browns' lead back in place of Chubb, whose future in Cleveland is uncertain. The four-time Pro Bowler is set to become an unrestricted free agent this spring, and while Chubb has said that he would like to finish his career in Cleveland, it's unclear if the organization feels the same. After sustaining a significant left knee injury in Week 2 of the 2023 season, Chubb didn't make his 2024 debut until Week 7 and lacked his usual explosiveness as a runner. He averaged 3.3 yards per carry -- by far a career-low mark -- and scored four touchdowns over his eight appearances before going down with the fractured foot.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Leaves Sunday's game
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Chubb won't return to Sunday's game against the Chiefs due to a foot injury.
Before being forced out of the contest, Chubb carried nine times for 41 yards. While Chubb is sidelined, Jerome Ford is next in line for the Browns' Week 15 carries.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Posts 48 yards in loss
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Chubb rushed the ball 11 times for 48 yards in Sunday's 27-14 loss to the Steelers. He did not record a reception on one target.
Chubb was in an even split in the backfield with Jerome Ford for the entire day. While that limited his volume, Chubb did manage a 19-yard run -- his longest of the season. He's now gained between 48 and 59 yards on the ground in four of his seven games this season, though the ongoing split in the backfield will continue to limit his fantasy appeal.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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The last time Chubb faced the Steelers in Week 12, he had 19 PPR points, which came on the strength of two rushing touchdowns. He had 20 carries for 59 yards, two touchdowns, and one catch for 1 yard on one target. Chubb also scored 12.5 PPR points in Week 13 at Denver with nine carries for 21 yards, two catches for 24 yards, and a touchdown on two targets. Since returning from his knee injury in Week 7, Chubb is averaging just 3.0 yards per carry, and the only games where he's scored more than 5.2 PPR points is when he found the end zone. The good news is the Steelers have allowed a running back to score in nine games in a row, but Chubb's production could be minimal if he doesn't score. I prefer Chubb as just a flex option in most leagues in Week 14.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: RBs to Sit
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Chubb had his best Fantasy game of the season in Week 12 against Pittsburgh with 19 PPR points because he scored two touchdowns. He finished with 20 carries for 59 yards, the two touchdowns, and one catch for 1 yard on one target. We'll see if Chubb can find the end zone again in Week 13 at Denver because he's still averaging just three yards per carry and has only three catches for 7 yards on seven targets. But this is a tough matchup since the Broncos have allowed two rushing touchdowns since Week 6 and just five rushing touchdowns for the season. I would only use Chubb as a flex option in most leagues in Week 13.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: RBs to Sit
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I thought Chubb had the chance to play well in Week 11 at New Orleans, but he finished with 11 carries for 50 yards and no targets. He only played 22 snaps because Kevin Stefanski didn't want to overwork him with Thursday's game, so we'll see what kind of workload Chubb gets against the Steelers. He's now gone three games in a row with 5.2 PPR points or less, and he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 7. Pittsburgh has allowed a running back to score a touchdown in seven games in a row, so there's a chance for Chubb to do well if he finds the end zone. But I can only trust him as a flex option at best in the majority of leagues.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Low usage was planned for Week 11
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Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday that having Chubb play 22 snaps in this past Sunday's 35-14 loss to the Saints was planned with the Browns facing a quick turnaround for Week 12 with a Thursday night matchup with the Steelers, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
The snap count against the Saints was the lowest since Chubb made his season debut Week 7, and his 11 carries matched a season-low total. The running back had his best showing from an efficiency standpoint this past week, averaging 4.5 yards per carry after posting a 2.7 YPC mark in his first three games back from injury. With a high chance of either rain or snow for Thursday's game, the Browns could rely more heavily on Chubb coming off his light workload in Week 11.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Modest numbers again in Week 11
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Chubb carried the ball 11 times for 50 yards in Sunday's 35-14 loss to the Saints.
The game didn't get away from the Browns until the fourth quarter, but Chubb still failed to get a big workload, even coming off a bye and facing what has been a vulnerable New Orleans run defense this season. Cleveland may simply no longer view Chubb as a viable bell cow after last year's serious knee injury, so while he should remain at the top of the depth chart ahead of the likes of Jerome Ford, his days of seeing 20-plus touches on a consistent basis may be over. Chubb isn't likely to break out in Week 12 against the Steelers, a team he's only scored two rushing touchdowns against in 10 career meetings.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: RBs to Start
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Chubb scored a touchdown in his 2024 debut in Week 7 against Cincinnati and finished that game with 10.2 PPR points. In two games after that against Baltimore and the Chargers, Chubb combined for 9.7 PPR points, so he's due for a big game. It should happen this week against the Saints, who are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Seven running backs in the past six games have scored at least 16.8 PPR points against New Orleans, and Chubb should be considered a solid No. 2 running back in all leagues in Week 11.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Handles 16 carries
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Chubb rushed the ball 16 times for 52 yards in Sunday's 29-24 win over the Ravens. He failed to record a reception on two targets.
Chubb saw a relatively heavy workload once again, accounting for 16 of the 21 rush attempts out of the team's backfield. As could be expected in a tough matchup, he was largely held in check with his longest rush going for 15 yards early in the second quarter. Chubb hasn't been efficient in his first two games since returning from knee surgery, but he is the lead back in the Browns' offense -- a positive for his outlook moving forward.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Finds end zone in return
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Chubb rushed the ball 11 times for 22 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 21-14 loss to the Bengals. He added one reception (on three targets) for 10 yards.
Chubb dominated touches out of the Browns backfield in his first game in over in a year, as no other running back had more than three carries. While he wasn't particularly efficient, he did manage to plow into the end zone for a one-yard score late in the second quarter. Chubb's usage was promising given the long layoff, though Cleveland's offensive efficiency is in question moving forward with uncertain quarterback play.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Week 7 return official
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Chubb (knee) is active Week 7 against the Bengals.
It's been nearly 400 days since the last time Chubb took the field in an NFL game, but after a lengthy rehab of multiple serious knee injuries, he'll return to action for a Cleveland offense desperate for any type of spark. Chubb's workload remains the bigger question mark, however. Jerome Ford -- who had been operating as RB1 while Chubb was on the PUP list -- will not play Sunday due to a hamstring injury, which would, in theory, pave the way for Chubb to be the lead back. However, given it's his 2024 debut, as well as his extensive injury history, expect the likes of D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong to also factor into the Cleveland backfield as Chubb works his way back into the mix.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: No set snap count
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Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday that there is no exact number of snaps or touches the team has set for Chubb (knee) in Sunday's game against the Bengals, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Chubb is set to play his first game since Week 2 of 2023 after sustaining multiple knee injuries and a lengthy rehab process. Despite what the coach's comments might suggest, it stands to reason that Chubb wouldn't be in line for, say, 20-to-25 opportunities in his first game back after a lengthy absence. Stefanski was more concerned about the entire offense, which has yet to reach 20 points or 300 yards in a game. Chubb can give the offense a jolt and ignite a dormant rushing attack. Moving the chains and extending drives would be a start. Cleveland owns the worst third-down offense in the NFL at a conversion rate of 19.2 percent.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Logs full practice
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Chubb (knee) was a full practice participant Wednesday.
Chubb remains on the PUP list, but he's been practicing since Week 5 and is expected to make his season debut this Sunday against the Bengals, per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com. Wednesday marked his first full practice since he suffered a major left knee injury Sept. 18, 2023 that required two separate surgeries. Assuming he continues to practice Thursday and Friday without restriction, Chubb should be activated from the PUP list no later than Saturday. Head coach Kevin Stefanski declined to say whether Chubb will be on a "pitch count" if he is indeed activated this week, according to Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Limited in practice again
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Chubb (knee) was a limited practice participant Wednesday, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com reports.
Chubb was a limited participant all of last week after the Browns opened his 21-day practice window Oct. 2. Head coach Kevin Stefanski isn't giving hints about whether the running back might actually be activated this week, merely saying "anything is possible," when he was asked Wednesday about Chubb's availability for the game at Philadelphia this Sunday, per Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Officially ruled out for Week 5
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Chubb (knee), who remains on the reserve/PUP list after having been designated to return Wednesday, was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Commanders, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
Chubb was never a realistic candidate to retake the field as early as Week 5, and it would be unsurprising to see the Browns give him the benefit of his full 21-day practice window before activating him to the 53-man roster. Still, the progress made by Chubb in his recovery has been encouraging, with head coach Kevin Stefanski saying the star running back "looks like himself to me," per Zac Jackson of The Athletic. Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports that Chubb worked with the scout team and in individual drills at practice this week.
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Browns' Nick Chubb: Puts in limited practice Thursday
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Chubb (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Chubb was back on the field for the second day in a row, albeit with a cap on his reps as the Browns ease him back from the major left knee injury that he sustained in Week 2 of the 2023 season. According to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com, Chubb said his surgically repaired knee felt good following Wednesday's practice, but he's unlikely to play Sunday against the Commanders and admitted that he's unsure when he'll be ready to make his 2024 debut. Until Chubb is activated from the PUP list, Jerome Ford should remain the Browns' lead back, while D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong (hamstring) fill depth roles behind him.
