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How much does the Cleveland Browns front office value running backs?

By Josh Brown

CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 10: Running back Kareem Hunt #27 blocks for running back Nick Chubb #24 of the Cleveland Browns during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 10, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 10: Running back Kareem Hunt #27 blocks for running back Nick Chubb #24 of the Cleveland Browns during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 10, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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Nick Chubb extension

CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 29: Nick Chubb #24 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on December 29, 2019, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 29: Nick Chubb #24 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on December 29, 2019, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images) /

Could Chubb be that game-changer you break the rules for and pay? The Rams thought Todd Gurley was, and the Cowboys believe Zeke Elliott is the same. Both signed huge contracts, and now both teams are in precarious positions because of those contracts.

Big deals like Gurley’s have the Rams shedding talent and money, while the Cowboys are stuck making decisions on which stars stay and which go at those “key” positions. Do you want the Browns in that position in the future?

Of course, we don’t want to see the Browns jeopardize the future of multiple young players for just one. That type of thinking will get a front office fired very quickly. Andrew Berry will need to navigate the fan bases love for Chubb and his thoughts on the position.

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That is not to say he has to make an offer to appease the fan base, but he will need to have a sound reason and plan in place if he wants to weather the storm from fans who see the production next to the name. Especially since the analytics and good old classic stats show, a running back can be found anywhere in or after the NFL draft.

Of the 15 rushers who ran for 1,000 yards in 2019, only four were top-10 picks. Of those four, only two were in the top five rushing leaders. The other three, including the rushing champ Derrick Henry, were taken in the second round or later. Based on the analytics and Andrew Berry’s model so far looking a lot like the way the Eagles do things, this regime is likely not going to break the bank for any running back, nor should they.

Is there a chance Berry and his Harvard front office find the magic formula to pay Chubb and still keep high-end talent at crucial positions? There are a lot of highly intelligent front offices in the NFL.

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