Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns will have to try to replace running back Nick Chubb.
Chubb suffered what has been confirmed as a season-ending injury during Cleveland’s 26-22 “Monday Night Football” loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
To say that losing Chubb is a huge loss for the Browns would be an understatement. Since entering the league as a second-rounder in 2018, Chubb has been one of the NFL’s best backs. He’s averaged 5.3 yards per carry over six seasons and has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in each of his past four campaigns.
Outside of possibly trading for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, that type of production isn’t going to be easily replaced.
Stefanski said as much when he met with the media to announce Chubb’s injury as a season-ender.
“We will support him in every way,” Stefanski said, per NBC Sports. “The best thing we can do to support him, the best thing we can do to honor who Nick Chubb is is go out there and perform, go out there and work. I think that’s ultimately what Nick expects this team to do.”
Though Cleveland will look to replace Chubbs production, that will be easier said than done.
“As you know — you don’t replace Nick Chubb. You just don’t do that,” Stefanski said. “Great players in the league, you look around, they go out, it’s always not one person that replaces a player of his caliber. So, everybody’s got to do a little bit more. You’ve got to do a little bit more everywhere. But we’ll look at options there in terms of who we bring in.”
Second-year running back Jerome Ford will replace Chubb as the starting running back in the meantime. Outside sources of help could be a trade for Taylor, as mentioned, and it’s worth noting that former Browns running back Kareem Hunt is still a free agent.
Hunt had been with the Browns from 2019-22 and rushed for 1,874 yards and 16 touchdowns during that time period for Cleveland.