Nick Chubb Bears Rumors Update Browns News
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Nick Chubb #24 of the Cleveland Browns looks on during warmups before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have been regularly linked to former Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb following the 2025 NFL draft, but the latest update on Chubb’s offseason plans suggests a signing won’t be coming anytime soon.
Earlier this week, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler appeared on ESPN Radio in Cleveland and delivered an update on Chubb and his ongoing free agency. While he said he does not “expect” Chubb to return to the Browns in 2025, barring an unexpected injury, he also added that the 29-year-old unrestricted free agent is in no hurry to sign a deal.
“I know he expects to play, wants to play,” Fowler said. “The running back market is tough. A lot of these guys are waiting. I think they’re going to wait probably until training camp at this point. It doesn’t help them to sign in late May or early June.”
Chubb is coming off a down year with the Browns in 2024. He spent the first portion of the season recovering from his 2023 season-ending knee injury and played just eight games, averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per attempt on 102 carries and finishing with just 332 rushing yards and three touchdowns in eight games.
Nevertheless, Fowler identified the Bears as one of two teams that would make sense as suitors for Chubb during the 2025 season, once training camp starts to draw closer.
“There are some teams out there that could be in the market for one,” Fowler said. “The Commanders or the Bears come to mind. Just in general terms, they could be looking for an extra back at some point, could need some help. But right now, I think he’s just in that mode where you’re going to survey the landscape and see what develops.”
Does Nick Chubb Have Enough Gas Left in the Tank?
Chubb’s dominance with the Browns has cemented his name as a high-quality talent in the minds of some fans and convinced them that he would make for a valuable addition to the Bears offense as a complementary rushing partner for starter D’Andre Swift.
There are reasons to be concerned about Chubb’s effectiveness after 2024, though.
Before his injury, Chubb was an absolute monster for the Browns. He bruised his way to more than 1,000 rushing yards in four consecutive seasons after falling four yards short of 1,000 as a rookie in 2018. He also hit career-high marks rushing for 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2022 for the Browns, putting him in the league’s upper echelon.
Chubb, however, did not run like the same player after returning from injury in 2024.
Despite returning to the lineup in Week 8 last season, Chubb looked as though he had not quite returned to full strength, eeking out just 113 yards on 42 carries in his first three games back. He started to look more like himself and improve his efficiency as the season went on, but he then broke his foot in Week 15 and missed the final three games.
Now, the Bears might be willing to overlook Chubb’s shortcomings in 2024 if they feel his health is in a better spot heading into 2025. His contract expectations are also likely not egregious in terms of price. Even still, there is a risk associated with signing him — especially when the Bears have other options on rookie contracts waiting in the wings.
Bears Are Still Evaluating Current RB Personnel for 2025
Expectations that the Bears would swing big on a running back in the 2025 NFL draft have left fans and analysts alike projecting them to make another move before the start of the 2025 season. Right now, though, the Bears’ new coaches are still evaluating their current personnel and trying to figure out what they have versus what they still need.
At the top of the depth chart, Swift is still the No. 1 guy. He averaged just 3.8 yards per attempt behind a rocky offensive line in 2024, but he still finished close to 1,000 yards as a rusher and added another 386 receiving yards on 42 receptions, making him a multi-purpose back who should have plenty of utility in Ben Johnson’s new offense.
The real question is: Who will complement Swift in the Bears’ 2025 rotation?
The Bears used 2023 fourth-round pick Roschon Johnson as their change-of-pace back alongside Swift last season. While his function as a short-yardage/goal-line option kept his yards-per-carry low (2.6), he scored a career-high six touchdowns for the Bears and remained effective as a pass-catching option, hauling in 16 of 20 targets for 104 yards.
If the Bears’ new coaches are less enamored with Johnson, they could instead test out seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai as the complementary back in their rotation. He is a rawer option than Johnson at this stage and lacks breakaway speed, but his quick cuts and compact frame (5-foot-8, 211 pounds) could help him carve out a role.
Ultimately, the Bears might reach the end of OTAs and feel that neither Johnson nor Monangai has done enough to keep them from scouring the free-agent market for more help. For now, though, the evaluations will likely continue until after June’s minicamp.