5 Contracts for Cleveland Browns to visit in the next 12 months
By Greg Newland
The Cleveland Browns are in a great position for the 2021 season. They have a ton of talent and have still managed to keep the salary cap under control. General manager, Andrew Berry, has been very disciplined and has set the Browns up for long-term success.
After a tight 2021 cap, the NFL is expecting a huge increase in 2022 with a new TV deal, which will allow multiple record-setting deals in free agency.
The Browns will certainly be in the free agency game, but also have many in-house contracts to worry about. That may mean getting rid of a contract or finding a way to extend it. Take a look at these five contracts the Browns should take care of one way or another in the next year.
5. Nick Chubb, Running Back
Star running back Nick Chubb is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. Chubb has been the workhorse of the offense the last two years, after stealing the starting position midway through his rookie year.
Chubb has been a pro-bowler the last two seasons and ran for over 2,500 yards and 20 touchdowns in that span. While some believed the offensive line was a big reason for his success, we quickly found out this season that is not the case.
Chubb was forced to miss four games with an injury, and during that time the running game just wasn’t the same. Even with a great backup like Kareem Hunt, there was quickly a decrease in production.
The big question, what is an elite running back worth in the NFL? Can the Cleveland Browns justify a $15 million per year running back?
I’m in the middle on this one. I want Chubb back for another three to four years, but they can’t make him the highest-paid running back in the league. Panthers, Cowboys, Saints, Vikings, and the Titans have the top paid players at the position currently. I could argue that one of those teams (Titans) is a contender, but the rest are on the decline.
However, if the 2022 cap goes crazy as some suspect, and Chubb is willing to take $11-12 million per year with a heavily front-loaded deal, I would like to see this get done. This keeps a great player in Cleveland and gives the Browns flexibility if he would happen to not live up to the contract.