The Cleveland Browns are an organization that has not seen much success on the field, yet the team continues to have one of the most dedicated, passionate fanbases in the NFL. The city of Cleveland loves the Browns (some have a love-hate relationship), and the fanbase especially loves one player — Nick Chubb. Well, recent reports suggest that this fan-favorite could be wearing a different jersey next season.
There are very few things the Cleveland Browns could do to make the fans turn on them. Hell, they have already gone winless. They also recently gave a sexual predator (allegedly) the largest fully guaranteed contract in NFL history only for him to struggle, get injured, and then somewhat get outplayed by a grizzled veteran off of the couch. Even with all of this, the Cleveland Browns fans are passionate and optimistic. However, this could change if the Browns do indeed cut running back Nick Chubb.
Cleveland Browns Could Cut Nick Chubb
One could make an argument that Nick Chubb is the best pure rusher at the running back position in the NFL. This, combined with his dedication to the city of Cleveland and being a great person in general, has made Chubb one of the most popular Cleveland Browns players amongst all NFL fans. However, Chubb is coming off of another major injury.
In Week 2, Chubb suffered a major injury that knocked him out for the season. He tore his ACL for sure, and there was speculation that there was further damage due to how terrible it looked. However, the Browns RB does look to be ahead in his recovery, given everything we have seen and heard.
While the recovery is going well, the status of Nick Chubb for Week 1 next season is still up in the air. This, combined with his age and contract situation, has led to some reporting Chubb to be a possible Cleveland Browns salary cap casualty.
Nick Chubb Contract
As of February 21st, the Cleveland Browns’ salary cap sits at -$20.6M, which is the fifth-lowest in the league. Obviously, this means they will need to make some moves in order to get under the salary cap.
The Nick Chubb contract has a spotlight on it, as it screams “salary cap casualty” ahead of the new league year. Chubb carries a $15.8M cap hit this season, which is a lot for a 28-year-old coming off of a major injury. If the Browns choose to cut him, they could save nearly $12M which would go a long way in getting under the cap.
Reporters from The Athletic, and others, have reported that Chubb is a strong candidate to be a salary cap casualty due to the amount of money Cleveland could save. Of course, Chubb is a fan-favorite and a major part of the offense, so it is possible the running back and the team can come to terms on an extension that makes sense for both sides.
