Dawg Tags: Can Cleveland Browns pay Nick Chubb and win a Super Bowl?
By Randy Gurzi
The Daily Dawg Tags bring you all the Cleveland Browns news you need to know, including a look at whether the team can afford to pay Nick Chubb and still go after a Super Bowl
There are plenty of people out there — present company included— who think paying a running back is never a good idea. While that’s an easy thing to blurt out, it becomes harder to think about with a transcendent player such as Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns.
Chubb now has three very successful seasons under his belt, which means the former second-round pick is heading into the final season of his rookie deal. That also means the Browns are going to have to decide whether or not they want to lock him up — and how much they’re willing to commit to what is arguably the most replaceable position on the roster.
While it would be hard to even consider letting Chubb walk following the 2021 season, there’s plenty of data out there showing that teams who go with affordable running backs have more success. And there haven’t been many teams as of late that have made it far once they do pay their runners.
Today’s Daily Dawg Tags jumps right into the debate and shows how hard it could be for Cleveland to get to the Super Bowl if they were to pay Chubb a deal similar to players such as Dalvin Cook and Christian McCaffrey.
Cleveland Browns News
Paying Nick Chubb and Winning a Super Bowl is a Tough Task — Brandon Little, Browns Digest
"“Since 2010 there have been six years that the winners of the Super Bowl’s leading rusher made less than 1 million dollars in base salary. These numbers are crazy when you look at some of the salaries that top running backs have been given.”"
Little points to not only Nick Chubb’s talent but his character. He’s easily one of the more likable players on this team and there isn’t a fan out there who would want to see him in anything other than the orange and brown. But the article from Little points out how many teams have been successful with affordable backs including the two most recent Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs.
"“Speculation regarding Beckham’s future in Cleveland, of course, has been constant dating back to the Browns’ acquisition of the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019. Asked about Beckham’s status with the team last month, Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry said that he still views the LSU product as a core member of the Browns’ roster.”"
OBJ trade rumors are almost just as common as breathing. At this point, there’s not a lot of reason to dive too deep into them. There could be some truth, but there might not be. We have no way of knowing, but what we can count on, is that this won’t be the last rumor we hear about OBJ moving elsewhere.
"“Released by the Texans on Friday, Watt is seriously considering the Browns as one of his options because they have a lot of what he wants, sources tell cleveland.com.”"
The news that J.J. Watt is serious about the Browns was met with some shock on social media. Thankfully, the always entertaining Chris McNeil — also known as Reflog — pointed out that this isn’t shocking to those who have been paying attention.
Watt would be a huge addition for the Browns, but it could be a great fit for him as well. He just has to be okay with playing against his two brothers twice per season.
3 free agents who could change Cleveland Browns 2021 NFL Draft plans
The Browns should have a solid plan of what to do when they’re on the clock for the 2021 NFL Draft. However, those plans could change if they land some free agents — including the three highlighted in this article.