Nick Chubb is easily one of the best second-round picks in Cleveland Browns franchise history.
The running back went off for 1,494 rushing yards in 2019 and could have had much more if not for total mismanagement of the offense by former head coach Freddie Kitchens.
But that is a story that has been discussed enough.
Chubb is playing on a second-round contract and is set to earn just over $1.1 million in 2020.
That is clearly way under his true value to the team and it should be time for the Browns to start thinking about a contract extension.
Chubb deserves one and there are clear reasons why that is true.
Nick Chubb: only RB since 2006 to average 4+ yards 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 contact per carry for his career pic.twitter.com/jBWFxhzaYf
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) August 3, 2020
1. His Spot in Team History
Chubb is already 11th in franchise history when it comes to rushing yards.
His 2,490 career yards in just two seasons has him right behind Jamal Lewis.
If Chubb can reach the 1,000-yard mark in 2020 he would jump all the way to seventh place.
.@NickChubb21 all smiles in the new uni 😁 pic.twitter.com/vr6NC2JnTi
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 6, 2020
Finding a legitimate running back has not been easy for the Browns since 1999.
William Green seemed like the real deal, only to be done after four seasons.
Then there was the Peyton Hillis saga that ruined what seemed to be a promising career in Cleveland.
Chubb just stays quiet and works hard, which sounds like a cliche but is still true.
Getting into a contract dispute with Chubb would create unnecessary drama with one of the best running backs to ever wear a Browns uniform.
2. Securing His Role in Cleveland
2020 will be Chubb’s third year on a four-year contract.
Not having a new deal done soon will begin the talks of him holding out before the 2021 season.
And why wait?
Getting Chubb on a new contract secures yet another position on offense.
.@NickChubb21 put on the jets for the TD and the fastest run of his career, according to @NextGenStats. 🚀 (powered by @awscloud) pic.twitter.com/ElB5SXObFa
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2020
This also keeps his focus on the game and not on the fact he is being underpaid.
The absolute disaster Browns fans saw from 2015-2017 led to this current situation where the team is filled with legitimate talent at nearly every position.
Giving Myles Garrett his mega-deal was the first step in actually retaining the talent.
Baker Mayfield will also be on the clock following the 2020 season.
But Chubb cannot be forgotten in the mix.
He is arguably the best player on the team at his given position and should be used much more effectively in Kevin Stefanski’s offense.
3. A Rising Market
This reason has to do with the team’s finances.
The longer the team waits to give Chubb a new deal, the more expensive he will become.
And if we want to make comparisons, Chubb has put up better numbers through his first two years than Derrick Henry did in Tennessee and it is not even close.
Henry’s breakout year came in 2019 and he was rewarded with a four-year, $50 million deal.
In the recent past, there was a negative stigma toward giving running backs big money.
Recent deals, such as the ones for Ezekiel Elliott and Christian McCaffrey, have changed that narrative.
The Browns have the available cap space to give Chubb the money he has earned.
Dragging this process out will only delay the inevitable.
NEXT: Browns Sign Guard Jovahn Fair, Add Interior Offensive Line Depth
