The Cleveland Browns are unlikely to have Nick Chubb for the start of next season as he continues his journey back from a serious knee injury.
Chubb suffered a catastrophic 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 came in November. He’s expected back at some point next season, but an exact timeline for a return is uncertain.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com doesn’t envision Chubb being ready for the season’s first few weeks.
“I think they’ll go into the season with Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr., D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines, with Hines being slated primarily for return duty,” Cabot said in her latest Q&A column. “I expect Nick Chubb to need more time to rehab from his major knee reconstruction and not be ready from the jump.”
Through six seasons Chubb has rushed for 6,511 yards and 48 touchdowns. His career 5.3 yards per carry is among the league’s elite. He looked to be on pace for another monster season before the injury against the Steelers.
Browns Waiting on More Information on Nick Chubb’s Recovery
The Browns have been clear that they expect Chubb to contribute in some form next season. The team and Chubb’s reps will likely work on a re-done contract this offseason. However, the team is taking a conservative approach to his return and is awaiting 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 doing truly doing a fantastic job with the rehab and he should start to load run probably sometime this upcoming month.”
Berry has been very complimentary of the work Chubb has put in to get back on 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 — call it three — months will be pretty telling in terms of his potential readiness for early in the season,” Berry said. “We are going to be conservative in terms of our approach in our assessment 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 Solid Depth to Backfield
The Browns did some solid work this offseason to bulk up their backfield depth. Cleveland added two running backs this offseason: D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines. Foreman is expected to take on a Kareem Hunt-type 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 pass game skillset.”
Hines should be a dynamic playmaker in the return game but he also wants to be looked at as a weapon on the offensive side of the ball.
“I’ve been hearing the whole return-specialist thing — I’m not that,” Hines said during a recent Up & Adams Show appearance. “I believe I play offense, but returning is something I love to do as well. But I like to do both.”
