Cleveland Browns: Is a Nick Chubb extension the smart move?

“How is the Browns offense saved if it’s not allowed to…evolve?” – Ultron, probably

As good as Chubb is, he’s still a running back, and when teams sell out to stop the run, they can do it. In the Divisional Round, the Chiefs, with their vaunted defense (sarcasm), stacked the box on most downs and played cover-1 press-man, daring Baker Mayfield to beat them through the air, knowing full well the quarterback was on a league-best tear at the time.

KC knew the Browns lacked the weapons to get open against man coverage, and chose to stop Chubb. They succeeded, holding him to only 69 yards on 13 carries, and he had an uncharacteristically poor day as a receiver, dropping two of his targets, both of which would’ve likely been large gains in crucial situations.

With Odell Beckham Jr. back in the fold and Anthony Schwartz added to the receiver room, Cleveland’s passing game won’t be able to be disrespected like that anymore, which will lead to fewer stacked boxes and more lanes for Chubb to run. But if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be more efficient to throw the ball to those explosive targets?

Certainly not on every down, but more than the team did in 2020; as Mayfield improved, he was allowed to throw the ball more, and the team played better because of it. Mayfield’s arm is the reason the Browns will or will not win a Super Bowl, not Chubb’s legs. He can make a big difference, but things will always come down to the quarterback, no matter what.

Chubb also struggled against the New York Jets, gaining just 28 yards on 11 carries. Anyone who watched that game will tell you he was given practically zero room to run because of New York’s devotion to slowing him down, the fact that pretty much all of Cleveland’s receivers missed the game, and because the Browns were starting backups at left tackle and right guard.

That wasn’t Chubb’s fault, but for the most part, a back is only as good as the line he runs behind. The team invested heavily in the OL in 2020, and continues to add talent to the room. They recognize the importance of having a strong line for both running and throwing.

One of the hallmarks of the Stefanski/Kubiak/Shanahan scheme is its ability to plug and play RBs essentially at will. Players like Jeff Wilson, Alexander Mattison, and Raheem Mostert have had great success in these systems, despite being far from household names. D’Ernest Johnson did the same thing against the Dallas Cowboys, though that may not be the best example to use because of how terrible that defense was.

Holes rarely appear out of thin air. They must be created by linemen. No matter how good he is, Chubb can’t block for himself.