Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns have a wealth of decisions to make in the next few weeks.
This is the time for negotiating with any of their 26 pending free agents they want to return in 2024.
Before the mid-March signing period opens, Berry will decide who else is worth pursuing aggressively from the pool.
Meanwhile, Browns scouts and analysts are preparing scenarios for the NFL Draft in April.
But Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto says one decision is the most important for Berry and an important Browns figure (via Cleveland Browns on cleveland.com on YouTube).
Pluto shared his thoughts about Nick Chubb and the Browns’ 2024 plans on social media.
He starts off imagining a cold-hearted analytical decision by a “bean counter” regarding the rehabbing All-Pro.
Chubb is trying to beat the odds and return from a major injury on a previously reconstructed knee.
Per Pluto, removing all the sentiment from a decision, a damaged Chubb is not worth the $15 million cap hit.
The longtime Browns insider says a purely analytical decision to release the rusher is easy, but Andrew Berry knows Nick Chubb is more than just another running back to his teammates and fans, and Pluto agrees.
“Nick Chubb is special. He is the greatest running back I’ve seen in a Cleveland Browns uniform since Jim Brown.”
Pluto notes that even a partially diminished Chubb is a “pretty good” running back, and the inspiration and emotion that would come with a successful comeback can’t be measured.
Cleveland has to figure out how to keep Chubb on the roster and hope the running back feels the same urgency.
Besides the salary cap impact, a drawn-out negotiation could be an ugly offseason distraction.
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