The Browns rework Nick Chubb’s contract, keeping the running back in Cleveland through 2024.
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After much speculation about whether Nick Chubb would be returning to the Cleveland Browns due to his gruesome knee injury during the 2023 season, the trade rumors can finally be put to rest.
To keep Chubb in Cleveland, the Browns have reworked Chubb’s contract to lessen his base salary while increasing the opportunity to earn incentives, as reported by Ian Rappoport and Tom Pelisero of NFL Network.
Browns fans can breathe a small sigh of relief at this news. Chubb has been one of the key components of the turnaround in Cleveland and to possibly have him on the trading block was sickening to hear. With this restructured agreement, the cap hit this season will no longer be a concern and Chubb can remain a Brown for the time being.
Chubb was drafted by the Browns in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft at 35th overall. The big question with Chubb during the draft was his injury history at the time. During his 2015 season at the University of Georgia, Chubb tore his PCL, MCL, and LCL in his left knee and also dislocated the knee and suffered cartilage damage.
He made a full recovery, but a surgically repaired knee for a running back is always a worry for teams as to how it will hold up in the trenches of the NFL.
In his rookie season with the Browns, Chubb was the second-string running back, but quickly showed the league that he was deserving of the starting role. Since then, he has been one of the main faces of the franchise and has been universally recognized as one of the best running backs in the league.
Going forward, the most important factor impacting Chubb’s return to the field will be his recovery from the MCL, ACL, and meniscus surgeries he received last season after a hit by Minkah Fitzpatrick of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The injury was hard to watch and really impacted the entire NFL. Chubb is known as one of the good guys in the league who just goes to work every day and gives all that he can, so watching him go down in the way that he did was hard for everyone to see.
The hit by Fitzpatrick ended Chubb’s season in Week 2 and, at the time, it seemed like it would completely end the Browns’ season as well. The offense was completely dependent on Chubb and his ability to wear down the defense and make big plays. Fortunately, the Browns were able to muster enough firepower on offense to overcome the hole that was left in Chubb’s absence.
It will be interesting to see how the offense will change this 2024 season as the Browns try to combine the offensive strategy that helped them reach the playoffs last season as well as accommodate the return of Chubb.
The expectations are pretty high in Cleveland due to the unexpected success they had last season along with the fact that a lot of their key players will be returning from injury this season. It is definitely an exciting time in Cleveland, especially with the return of Chubb.
