The Cleveland Browns are not likely to have Nick Chubb Chubb back for the beginning of next season as he continues his recovery from a serious knee injury.
Chubb suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had both his ACL and MCL repaired during two separate surgeries, the latest of which took place in November. He’s anticipated to return at some point next season, but the exact timeline for his return is uncertain.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com does not see Chubb being ready for the first few weeks of the season.
“I think they’ll go into the season with Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr., D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines, with Hines mainly designated for return duty,” Cabot said in her latest Q&A column. “I expect Nick Chubb to require more time to rehabilitate from his major knee reconstruction and not be prepared right away.”
Throughout six seasons Chubb has rushed for 6,511 yards and 48 touchdowns. His career 5.3 yards per carry is among the top in the league. He seemed to be on track for another outstanding season before the injury against the Steelers.
Browns Awaiting More Information on Nick Chubb’s Recovery
The Browns have made it clear that they anticipate Chubb to contribute in some capacity next season. The team and Chubb’s representatives will likely work on a revised contract this offseason. However, the team is taking a cautious approach to his return and is waiting for more information.
“Honestly, it is probably too early to really understand what he’s going to look like,” Browns GM Andrew Berry said at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting, via the Akron Beacon Journal. “He’s truly doing an excellent job with the rehab and he should start to run with a load probably sometime this upcoming month.”
Berry has been very complimentary of the efforts Chubb has put in to return to the field as soon as possible. But he’s still going to wait it out before setting expectations.
“I think that as we think about it, until we see him in the next couple months, I think the next — let’s say three — months will be pretty telling in terms of his potential readiness for early in the season,” Berry said. “We are going to be cautious in our approach in our evaluation with building the roster because he is coming off of a major knee injury. But I do have to give him a lot of credit. He’s done a really, really nice job.”
Browns Have Added Strong Depth to Backfield
The Browns did some strong work this offseason to bolster their backfield depth. Cleveland added two running backs this offseason: D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines. Foreman is expected to take on a Kareem Huntsimilar role, while Hines is valued for his pass-catching ability. Jerome Ford — who took over lead-back duties with Chubb sidelined last season — and Pierre Strong Jr. are also expected to return.
“D’Onta, he really, I think has a skillset that’s probably pretty similar to how we used Kareem this past year,” Berry said. “And then Nyheim was honestly really more for his return value and his skills in the passing game.”
Hines should be an exciting playmaker in the return game but he also wants to be seen as a weapon on the offensive side of the ball.
“I have heard about being labeled as a return specialist, but that's not me,” Hines said during a recent Up & Adams Show appearance. “I see myself as an offensive player, but I also enjoy returning. I want to do both.”
