We have officially entered the NFL offseason. Twitter, if it’s not actively imploding, is a cesspool of awful fan takes, poor media speculation, and fun hypotheticals to get the offseason mind moving. In the age of chronic online-ness, engagement is like a shot of pure dopamine to the veins of those primarily living behind a computer screen.
However, it’s also hard to know from the outside what is purely a smokescreen and where there may be some fire. So as responsibly as possible, we shall discuss potential Nick Chubb landing spots, even if it is a harmless internet rumor.
Nick Chubb Landing Spots
Drafting a running back in the first round has become a massive faux pas. Paying a running back a large second contract is contemptible behavior as well. But trading premium picks for an already expensive RB is an act worthy of the scaffold if we still lived in the middle ages.
Nevertheless, Chubb is arguably the best runner in the entire league, and it would be fun to see him on a few teams, should the price be right. The problem is, the price won’t be right, nor should the Cleveland Browns even consider it… yet.
Trading Nick Chubb Means Punting on 2023
It doesn’t make much sense to get worse on purpose when you decided to risk the next half-decade of your franchise and a potential PR disaster just last offseason. Then again, this is the Cleveland Browns.
For a few years now, we’ve felt that Cleveland’s roster was good enough to contend in the AFC, but their only playoff appearance came in 2020, as did their only winning record since 2007.
The roster certainly isn’t perfect, and the defense had continuously underperformed under Joe Woods during his three-year stint as the Browns’ defensive coordinator. After his firing, Kevin Stefanski said, “I will always have the utmost respect for Joe, the person, and the coach. Unfortunately, we didn’t perform up to our standards enough this season, and we all share in that responsibility.”
The team’s offensive line is incredibly talented, and Jim Schwartz should be a breath of fresh air defensively. Maybe a new-look, pass-heavy offense raises questions surrounding Chubb’s value, but Cleveland paid him when he was involved in a rotation. Perhaps the team would think they could get similar rushing efficiency at a lower expense. But the cap relief doesn’t seem significant enough to move on from Chubb.
MORE: Cleveland Browns Offseason Preview 2023
Trading Chubb after 2023 makes much more sense. After this season, the team would save significant coin by parting ways with Chubb. Nobody would be willing to give the Browns significant enough draft capital and take on the bulk of Chubb’s salary to make a trade feel worth it in the present day.
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot hit the nail on the head when she wrote, “the Browns wouldn’t get the first-round pick for Chubb that some speculate they could.” With uncertainty surrounding the Baltimore Ravens’ QB situation and the Pittsburgh Steelers likely still recovering from a retooling, the best time to make a run for the top of the division is right now.
Common sense says that the Browns, who have already committed to Deshaun Watson in the form of $230 million in guaranteed money, will restructure things to get themselves underneath the salary cap with enough money to add a few pieces to the roster.
Even if trading Chubb made more sense monetarily, a trade seems unlikely because the free agency class is deep at the position, and the draft class could border on historically good. Keeping the Browns’ core unit together is everything in 2023. But theoretically, what teams could be interested in adding the best pure runner in the NFL?
Detroit Lions
With uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers’ future in Green Bay and a seemingly unsustainable performance from the Minnesota Vikings last season, Detroit could be the one team we see go above and beyond calling Cleveland about Chubb.
The Lions already use their running backs sparingly in the passing game, so grabbing the best pure runner they can find certainly wouldn’t hurt. It’s an all-in prospect for a team who has yet to ever win the NFC North crown. If the Lions are seeking a trade, they have picks 6, 18, 48, and 55 in the 2023 NFL Draft that they could use as the main asset.
Depending on where one looks or who they talk to, the Lions’ offensive line is right up there with the Browns. Additionally, we’ve seen what Jared Goff can accomplish with a good run game and strong pass protection, both with the Rams and the Lions.
Carolina Panthers
Again, in a strictly hypothetical world looking at current competitiveness and roster construction, the Carolina Panthers actually make a good bit of sense. They’ll almost undoubtedly be trotting out a rookie quarterback offensively, and they have a very strong, and young, defensive depth chart.
MORE: Top 100 NFL Free Agents 2023
Frank Reich had success with Jonathan Taylor, and the New Orleans Saints’ addition of Derek Carr could put a bit of pressure on the rest of the division to make moves to improve all of their underwhelming offensive lineups. Carolina got good production from D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard. Adding Chubb behind this improved offensive line as a safety blanket for a young QB makes sense.
The Plight of the NFL Runner
Nobody gets a more lopsided deal than the NFL running back. Oftentimes, their best production comes early on. The accumulation of hits on their body takes its toll on the best of them, and many are further degraded by playing through various “lesser” lower body injuries.
While the common thought is that runners can survive, and even thrive, until they’re ready to hit 30, workhorse RBs often can’t last that long. Their greatest earning potential would be during their rookie contract. The Player’s Association would probably never be able to do it, but adding in a bonus or arbitration structure specifically for running backs could help maximize their earning potential, which is often only a few short years.
Another way would be to restructure how a rookie running back’s contract looks. Shortening their initial contract length may seem counter-intuitive from a job-security perspective, but teams are consistently able to exploit cheap RB labor without the consequence of paying what a runner is worth.
Contracts, at least good ones, are based on potential future production, not what a player has done in the past. No position peaks earlier than the NFL running back. Given the difficulties we’ve seen surrounding the NFLPA’s bargaining ability on behalf of the players, their plight will only sharpen as teams continue evolving their views on paying runners.