The Cleveland Browns found a star in Nick Chubb.
The young running back was a 2018 second-round pick who rushed for 996 yards in 2018 and 1,494 yards in 2019.
Only 3 RBs have forced 100+ tackles on rushing attempts since 2018
Nick Chubb – 110
Chris Carson – 107
Derrick Henry – 103 pic.twitter.com/ycaRrPgzY7— PFF (@PFF) May 4, 2020
He never causes any drama and has become a fan favorite for his hard work and also for the fact he had eight rushing touchdowns in each of the past two seasons.
The thing to remember with Chubb is that because he was a second-round pick he signed a generic four-year deal.
This is unlike contracts given to first-round players, which includes a fifth-year team option.
Two years are already in the books and the Browns have to start thinking about an extension for the young star.
Nick Chubb’s Contract
Chubb is playing way beyond his contract.
He is playing on a four-year, $7.38 million deal and his base salary was only $815,595 in 2019.
The former second-round pick is set to earn $1.15 million in 2020 and $1.48 million in the final year of his deal.
Another 1,000-yard year in 2020 would start the talk of a holdout taking place in 2021 if the Browns don’t offer an extension before then.
The #Browns should extend Nick Chubb’s contract this year and lock him up until 2024.
— Champ (@Champ_Dawg9) March 21, 2020
While some fans may not see Chubb doing such a thing, it would be the right business move and would likely be the advice given to him by his agent.
The Browns locking up Chubb on a new deal is also a smart business move and keeps a talented player on the roster instead of just cycling through running backs.
A Potential Extension
Andrew Berry and the current front office inherited a stacked roster.
The problem in the past was lack of proper coaching and motivation, which Chubb even admitted was the case.
He is arguably the best player at his position on the entire team and needs to be retained.
So what kind of deal could he get?
The running back market continues to rise and Christian McCaffery just landed a four-year, $64 million extension.
However, he was a 1,000-yard rusher and receiver in 2019.
Chubb only had 248 receiving yards last year and Kareem Hunt is the better receiving option of the two.
Yet Ezekiel Elliott is receiving $15 million annually and Derrick Henry may get a new deal that blows all the others out of the water.
That is why jumping on an extension as soon as possible is key for the team.
As of now, there is no reason why Chubb couldn’t land $8-10 million annually.
If he exceeds his 2019 numbers in 2020 that value will only rise and could get up near the $15 million range if Henry gets a massive deal and Dalvin Cook receives similar money.
The sooner the better is usually the case with contract extensions.
There is some risk in handing out money to a player still technically unproven in the long-term, but the alternative is losing out on his potential greatness.
The Browns should absolutely invest in Chubb and lock him up right away before it comes time for massive extensions for both Myles Garrett and Baker Mayfield.
The team has had a bad record with retaining top draft picks since 1999.
Berry was given a slew of top players and can make the easy decision to offer extensions to those who form the core of the team.
Getting a deal done with Chubb should be at the top of the list.
Since RB’s shelf life is so short (generally 4-5 years). I think offering him a rework with an extra year (2022) is the right move. 2020, 2021, 2022 @ 30m (backloaded) should work.