The Cleveland Browns may be looking for a veteran running back to add to their roster. There is a very familiar name that is still looking for a team as NFL training camps approach.
It would seem that the return of fan favorite Nick Chubb would be an ideal solution for both parties. However, with the Browns trending younger throughout their roster, it may not be the perfect fit fans are hoping for.
Analyst Lance Reisland recently shared his honest take on a potential Browns reunion with Chubb, saying that despite his affinity for the free agent veteran, it’s not something he thinks the team should pursue.
“[Nick Chubb coming back to the Browns] is a difficult one for me. When I do the positives and the negatives, what is gonna help me win in Jacksonville? As much as I love Nick Chubb and I’m biased, I have to look at it through that scope as well. Does he help me win Week 1? Is he better than Rocket Sanders on third down if it’s a pickup? I strictly have to look at that through the football aspect. Nick Chubb is one of my all-time favorite people. This would be one of those tough ones for me,” Reisland said.
"You just see the consummate professional that Nick Chubb was when he was in Cleveland, and probably still is…And I think anything that you get in on-field production would just be bonus."
"I strictly have to look at that through the football aspect…this would be one of… pic.twitter.com/3wDma1BBen
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 19, 2026
After playing seven seasons for Cleveland, Chubb signed with the Houston Texans as a free agent. He played in 15 games in 2025, gaining 506 yards on 122 carries with three touchdowns, but the Texans moved on from him by acquiring David Montgomery in a trade with the Detroit Lions.
The Browns will enter this season with Quinshon Judkins as their primary running back, coming off a serious leg injury that ended his rookie season. Fellow second-year player Dylan Sampson is expected to be a valuable change-of-pace and third-down back with his skills as a pass catcher.
Raheim Sanders and Ahmani Marshall are currently behind them on the depth chart, but they have combined for only four NFL games, all by Sanders last season. With Jerome Ford leaving as a free agent to join the Washington Commanders, the Browns could be in dire straits if Judkins or Sampson were to be injured this season.
Chubb is leaving the door open for a return to Cleveland, and he could provide solid veteran insurance, but he is clearly on the downside of his career, especially after a devastating knee injury suffered in 2023. Before that, he was one of the best running backs in the game, with four straight 1,000-yard seasons and a per carry average over 5.0 in five consecutive years.
It might be different if Chubb were returning to a familiar offensive system, but with head coach Todd Monken now in charge, it may not be the answer some people might be hoping for.
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