The Cleveland Browns might need to prepare for life after Nick Chubb sooner rather than later. It's the reality of their cap situation, and if Chubb is offered a bigger contract elsewhere, then it's understandable if he decides to walk away from the franchise he's called him his entire career.
If Chubb decides to leave in free agency and the Browns are left to search for a new RB1 in free agency, their options aren't necessarily limited. That's according to a recent article on NFL.com detailing a surprising candidate for getting signed by the Browns this offseason, who had a great year with the Dallas Cowboys.
Browns seen as good fit for Rico Dowdle
Maurice Jones-Drew, former running back and current analyst for NFL.com, recently wrote an article predicting fits for the upcoming free agent running backs. In his article he stated the Browns would be a great fit for Dowdle, who had a breakout season for the Cowboys after taking over the lead back role this past season.
Dowdle has had an interesting professional career so far. He was undrafted out of college and then signed with the Dallas Cowboys. In his first two season, he saw a combined seven carries. In his third season, the Cowboys started using him more.
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He was able to carry the ball 89 times for 361 yards. Finally, the team made the switch in the middle of the year to let Dowdle be the primary back. Dowdle thrived in this role.
Dowdle really started to come on this past year when the team started to use him more in the offense, especially in the final seven games of the year. During this stretch and when Dowdle had 18 or more rushing attempts he passed the 100 yard mark four out of six games.
Jones-Drew also pointed out that Dowdle did a great job of forcing missed tackles and is able to consistently get rushes for over 10 yards.
Adding Dowdle to the offense definitely makes some sense. Kevin Stefanski has already told everyone that he will resume play calling duties this upcoming year, with the right to change his mind if he deems necessary. With his return to play calling, it can be assumed that they will try to get back to the staples of his offensive system, running the ball effectively.
Cleveland definitely has a hole at the running back position. Chubb is a free agent and wasn't the most effective last year. The Browns will have to decide if they want to sign a free agent or take advantage of the loaded running back class in the 2025 NFL Draft headlined by Ashton Jeanty, Kaleb Johnson, and Omarion Hampton to fill the hole.