The Cleveland Browns will reportedly be a run-heavy team next season.
If that’s the case, they will need to rework their running back room.
Jerome Ford didn’t look like a legitimate lead back, Nick Chubb is a free agent, and Pierre Strong Jr. is a situational back at best.
That’s why some fans would love to see Chubb back with the team next season.
However, given the way he performed last season, his history of injuries, and his age, he’s not near the top of the team’s priority list at the moment.
With that in mind, team insider Tony Grossi revealed that, as much as the Browns could still bring him back, it will depend on whether he’s willing to take a pay cut and a lesser role and whether any other team wants to sign him:
“The Browns want to get fresher and more explosive at the lead running back position. That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t bring back Chubb, but it means he would have to accept a lesser role with a commensurate salary. I’m hopeful Chubb will come back, but if he gets another offer I don’t think he will,” Grossi said.
Chubb is still a free agent, so it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a market for him.
Needless to say, that can change after the NFL Draft or closer to training camp when injuries start to happen.
This draft class is stacked at the running back position, so it’s easy to understand why all teams, including the Browns, are taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approach with veterans like Chubb.
Even so, it would be nice to see him play for the Browns for the remainder of his career, and while it’s not realistic to expect him to be the same player he was in his prime, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt and a right to make his money with incentives.
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