Browns GM sends message to fans regarding Nick Chubb's future

Running back Nick Chubb is one of the most beloved players among Cleveland Browns fans since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999. 

Nevertheless, Browns general manager Andrew Berry indicated during a Friday morning appearance on Cleveland sports radio station 92.3 The Fan that it is "probably increasingly unlikely" that he will re-sign Chubb this spring or summer. 

"My job in decision-making is to be non-emotional," Berry said, via Pro Football Talk's Myles Simmons. "And then in terms of managing and treating people, it’s to be able to do it as empathetically as possible. I think one of the hardest things is when you transition away from a player who meant a lot to the organization and meant a lot to the community."

A 2018 second-round draft pick, Chubb earned Pro Bowl nods each season from 2019 through 2022. However, he suffered a torn ACL, torn MCL, torn meniscus and torn medial capsule in September 2023, and he more recently went down with a broken foot this past December. 

Per ESPN stats, 25-year-old Jerome Ford led the 2024 Browns with an average of 5.4 yards per carry. To compare, Chubb went for 3.3 yards per attempt before his latest injury. 

Berry's update was hardly surprising, as the Browns replaced Chubb when they selected running backs Quinshon Judkins (second round, pick No. 36) and Dylan Sampson (fourth round, pick No. 126) during the 2025 NFL Draft. While Berry was sure to say he wasn't "going to rule out someone as near and dear to our heart as Nick," the writing is certainly on the wall. 

"I’d love for key players in our organization to stay with us forever, play until they’re 45," Berry added. "Unfortunately, this sport doesn’t allow that. And so that’s one of the tough parts of the job, but it doesn’t change how you view, or treat or feel about the guys who have come through as people."

As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Browns about to hold a four-way competition for its starting quarterback job at +180 betting odds to win over 6.5 games this coming season. Unless the Browns surprisingly need a ball-carrier before August ends, Chubb has likely played in his last game as a member of the organization.