Nick Chubb Admits Browns Could Have Cut Him Following Injury

After suffering a gruesome knee injury early in the 2023 season, Nick Chubb hopes to return to the player he used to be.

Dec 17, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) warms up before the game between the Browns and the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The business side of the NFL can be oh so cruel.

That's exactly why speculation swirled this offseason that the Browns could potentially choose to part ways with running back Nick Chubb. The four-time Pro Bowler has spent the entirety of the offseason rehabbing from a grotesque knee injury suffered in Week 2 of last season, leaving some doubts about his ability to still be one of the league's top backs.

Coupled with over $11 million in potential cap savings by simply releasing the four-time Pro Bowler, Cleveland did have a difficult decision to make.

#Browns RB Nick Chubb says he's where he needs to be in his rehab. https://t.co/Bcu9w534la

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In the end, cooler heads prevailed, and general manager Andrew Berry kept his word that no one inside or outside the organization wanted to see Chubb's time with the Browns end by being carted off the field in Pittsburgh. Back in April, the two sides came to terms on a contract restructure that lowered Chubb's 2024 cap hit from over $15 million down to about $6 million, with a chance to earn much of the original money back in incentives.

While everyone was relieved to see an agreement come to fruition that would keep Chubb in Cleveland, the six-year veteran knows the situation could have played out much differently.

“Definitely a blessing," Chubb said in his first press conference since the injury nine months ago. "They could have cut me dry and left me hanging, right? But they did a great job. You know, I want to be here in Cleveland. They know that. So, we came to a great point.” 

Going into the final year of his second contract, it's still uncertain what Chubb's future holds beyond the 2024 season, but he's made it known that Cleveland is where he wants to be. For now, the 28-year-old is continuing his rehab in an effort to make it back on the field at some point next season.

If he's able to bounce back and show that he's still one of the most dominant backs in football he'll leave the Browns with another decision to make next offseason.

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