The former All-Pro has been working out in hopes of a new opportunity
The Cleveland Browns have no qualms about crowding their quarterback room for the 2025 NFL season, drafting both Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel after also adding veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. They aren’t taking the same approach in the backfield, however, allowing former All-Pro ball carrier Nick Chubb to linger on the open market after spending a second-round pick on Quinshon Judkins.
Chubb recently shared video of himself working out at Cedartown High School, his alma mater, in an apparent effort to quiet concerns about his physical readiness. Yet after two straight injury-riddled seasons, including a 2023 campaign that saw him miss all but two games due to a torn ACL and MCL, the veteran running back is unlikely to return to the Browns, as Cleveland.com reported.
Which begs the question: Where might Chubb end up? It’s no surprise the former Pro Bowler, drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by Cleveland, has encountered a quiet free agency so far; he’s approaching 30 with extensive wear and tear. Still, these clubs register as logical destinations for the eight-year vet, who ran for a career-high 1,525 yards in 2022:
The Bears have prioritized more support for young quarterback Caleb Williams, but the one spot they’ve yet to address with a splash is running back. D’Andre Swift offers breakaway burst atop the depth chart, but he may function best in tandem with a more well-rounded back. Chubb could provide that punch.
Sean Payton handpicked a new face of the backfield in RJ Harvey, the club’s second-round draft pick out of UCF. The rookie offers a workhorse mentality, but he’s also smaller by NFL standards (5-foot-8, 205 pounds). Chubb could give the team more proven insurance and a potential safety valve for young Bo Nix under center.
Andy Reid likes himself a big-name flyer, and while the Chiefs already have a trio of interchangeable backs in Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and Elijah Mitchell, each of those vets carries his own injury risk. Chubb could challenge for more traditional carries, offering extensive experience to a Super Bowl contender.
