Should the Browns consider trading Nick Chubb in the offseason?
Nick Chubb is one of the premiere running backs in the NFL and would land quite the haul should he be traded. Should Andrew Berry pull the trigger?
The NFL is no doubt a pass-happy league and the role of running backs isn’t what it once was. The Cleveland Browns have one of the best running backs in the game today in Nick Chubb, but should they consider the trade value he presents and look to deal him this offseason?
Many of you who read the title will react with various comments, but hear me out first. The Browns’ front office is very much analytic based and from that standpoint, the team could elect to get younger and cheaper by dealing Chubb this offseason.
A few weeks ago, it was rumored that head coach Kevin Stefanski was safe at least for the 2023 season, but owner Jimmy Haslam might want to move the offense to a more air-raid one that would better suit Deshaun Watson.
If Haslam gets his way with that, then that could entice the Browns to give up Chubb and get a pretty good haul in return for draft picks. This would certainly not sit well with the fanbase, but at the end of the day, the NFL is a business. Always has been and always will be.
What could a Nick Chubb trade look like?
Jack Duffin of 247sports.com thinks the Browns could get a haul similar to the one the Panthers got when they traded away superstar running back Christian McCaffrey earlier this season. In that trade, Carolina received a 2023 second, third, fourth, and 2024 fifth-round draft pick.
Now, this might seem a little nonsensical as Chubb is coming off a career year. He racked up a career-high 1,525 yards and tied his career-best 12 rushing touchdowns. He was named to the NFL All-Pro Second Team marking the first time in his career he made an All-Pro team.
The Browns running game wasn’t the same in the second half of the season due to a banged-up offensive line and the debut of Watson in Week 13. If Cleveland doesn’t go to the air-raid offense, then Chubb and Watson complement each other perfectly.
While the Browns just finalized their defensive coordinator search, it’s never too early to look at the overall bigger picture of the NFL.
Chubb would have a cap hit of $8 million should he be dealt this offseason, which would then give them options financially in the future. Now, to answer the question, I personally would not trade Chubb during the offseason, but I also wouldn’t be mad if a deal made this team better over the long haul.
It is highly unlikely that Chubb goes anywhere, but it surely is an interesting topic of discussion as the Browns try and get back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season and further build for the future.
