The Cleveland Browns not only suffered their first loss of the season on Monday night, but they also lost the heart and soul of their offense. In the second quarter of a 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nick Chubb was carted off the field after sustaining a serious injury on a hit by Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed after the game that Chubb had suffered a “serious knee injury” and was expected to miss the remainder of the season.
The ESPN broadcast team initially decided not to show the replay, but you could hear the gasps from the Acrisure Stadium crowd when it was shown on the Jumbotron. The crowd then showed their support for Chubb by cheering him on and paying tribute to him as he was carried into the locker room.
Nick Chubb
CLE • RB • #24
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A four-time Pro Bowler, Chubb had 64 yards on 10 carries before his injury. He had 106 yards on the ground in the Browns’ Week 1 win over the Bengals.
Jerome Ford replaced Chubb as the Browns’ starting running back. A fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Ford made eight appearances as a rookie and 15 appearances in Cleveland’s 24-3 victory over the Bengals. He played admirably in place of Chubb on Monday night, rushing for 106 yards on 16 carries, including a 69-yard run that accounted for Cleveland’s final score.
Regardless, the loss of Chubb is significant for the Browns, who entered Monday night with legitimate playoff hopes. Now the Browns must keep those hopes alive without one of the NFL’s best running backs and overall players.
Here are some options on who they might consider bringing in to help cushion the shock of the likely loss of Chubb.
Kareem Hunt
Kareem Hunt
CLE • RB • #27
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This will be one of the most popular games, and for good reason. Hunt is still available on the free agent market and having played for the Browns the last four seasons, he has immense knowledge of the playbook and could be a plug-and-play addition to the backfield. In 17 games last season, the 28-year-old rushed for 468 yards and three touchdowns while catching 35 passes for 210 yards and another score. If Cleveland wants to go with Ford as their primary defender, Hunt would be a good secondary option who can take on a larger workload if needed.
Leonard Fournette
Leonard Fournette
TB • RB • #7
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Fournette is in a similar situation to Hunt. The veteran went unsigned this offseason and is currently looking for the right opportunity to move up, potentially with the Browns after Chubb. The 28-year-old can work both between the tackles and as a pass catcher, which would complement Ford well. With the Buccaneers last season, Fournette totaled 1,191 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns. This included 73 balls for 523 yards.
Cam Akers
Cam Akers
LAR • RB • #3
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Cam Akers’ relationship with the Rams has seemingly soured, as the defenseman was completely inactive last week. LA is now reportedly putting him on the trading block as they move forward with Kyren Williams as their primary ball carrier. With the Browns needing some help in the backfield, they obviously make sense after Chubb. The former second-round pick rushed for 786 yards (4.2 yards per carry) with seven touchdowns in 2022. In the Week 1 opener against Seattle, he rushed for just 29 yards on 22 attempts, so he might best be viewed as a complement to Ford replacing Chubb.
Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor
IND • RB • #28
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If they want a true Chubb replacement, it’s hard to do better than Jonathan Taylor. The Colts’ back is currently on injured reserve but is still tradeable. Of course, his health would be the first thing Cleveland would have to check before negotiating such a deal, but when healthy, Taylor is one of the best running backs in the league. Before the season, the Colts gave Taylor’s camp permission to pursue a trade, but nothing materialized. The closer he gets to returning from IR, the more interesting it will be to see if trade talks heat up. Signing a player of Taylor’s caliber would make Cleveland’s running game one of the most feared in the league and would likely be a welcome development for the veteran as well.