The knee injury that forced Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb to be carted off the field and immediately ruled out for the season in Week 2 reportedly might not be as severe as initially thought.
Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, was off to another strong start this season before taking a direct hit to his knee on Monday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cleveland almost immediately ruled him out for the remainder of the game, with head coach Kevin Stefanski confirming hours later that Chubb’s season was over in September.
- Nick Chubb stats (career): 6,511 rushing yards, 48 rushing touchdowns, 5.3 yards per carry
Related: NFL QB rankings
The injury felt reminiscent of what happened to Chubb in college. A star with the Georgia Bulldogs, Chubb suffered a knee injury on October 10 that knocked him out for the remainder of the 2015 season. He had to recover from an extensive surgery, which repaired multiple ligaments in his knee including his PCL.
Because of his injury history and the fact that the 5-foot-11 running back would now have to work his way back from a second major procedure on his knee heightened concerns for the remainder of his NFL career. Fortunately, things are reportedly headed in the right direction for the 27-year-old.
- Nick Chubb contract: $14.85 million cap hit in 2023, $15.825 million cap hit in 2024, 2025 NFL free agent
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, an MRI on Chubb’s knee after the swelling went down revealed that he didn’t suffer as much damage as initially feared. While he will need to sit out the remainder of the season to recover from MCL surgery, there is a chance he won’t need to have his ACL prepared.
While there is damage to the ACL in the knee, there is reportedly some optimism that surgery might not be necessary to repair it. If that’s the case, Chubb would have a chance to be on the field in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.
Of course, multiple factors will determine when Chubb returns to the field. He’ll be entering a contract year in 2024 and Cleveland could designate him as a pre-June 1 release to create $11.825 million in cap space next season.
While it might seem unlikely that Chubb would be cut, freeing up $11 million in cap space would be significant for a team that’s only projected to have $6.6 million in cap room next offseason.
The Browns have months before they have to make a decision on Chubb and it would still be a surprise if the front office considers cutting him in 2024.
In the meantime, Jerome Ford becomes Cleveland’s featured running back. While he’s expected to struggle in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans, one of the best run defenses in the NFL, the Browns’ coaching staff believes he’ll thrive in the role long-term.
