3 players the Browns should extend ahead of 2024 and 2 they should not

Browns should not extend: Nick Chubb, RB

Let's just get this out of the way — Nick Chubb is the best running back this franchise has had since Jim Brown. He's fourth all-time in rushing yards and if he didn't suffer a gruesome knee injury in Week 2 of the 2023 season, he might have moved up to No. 2.

The problem is that he did suffer that torn ACL and MCL. That also happened to be in the same knee he tore back in 2015 for the Georgia Bulldogs.

While he was able to bounce back then, he was also nine years younger. Chubb is now 28 and will turn 29 in December. Unlike Amari Cooper, who turns 30 this year, Chubb plays a position that's unforgiving to players as they approach the end of their 20s. Throw in the twice-repaired knee and the Browns would be gambling to keep Chubb beyond the 2024 campaign — unless he's willing to take a massive hometown discount with very few guarantees.

Considering the short shelf-life of an NFL running back, that makes no sense for Chubb. He's a smart player who understands he has limited time to cash in during his career. Taking a deal that protects the team and not himself wouldn't be a good move. It also wouldn't be good business for the Browns to pay a premium contract to a running back when they want to be a pass-centric team.