Nick Chubb, one of the NFL’s premier running backs when healthy, is making waves in free agency. The 29-year-old is drawing interest from teams like the Chicago Bears as he works to prove his durability following a series of injuries over the past few years.
Chubb’s injury history has been a significant storyline in recent seasons, impacting his availability and ultimately leading to his release by the Cleveland Browns. In 2023, Chubb suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 18, when he was tackled low by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The hit resulted in a torn MCL, a partially torn ACL, and damage to his meniscus and medial capsule, requiring two surgeries—one in late September to repair the MCL and meniscus, and another in November to address the ACL. The injury sidelined him for the remainder of the 2023 season, limiting him to just 2 games and 28 carries for 170 yards. In 2024, Chubb returned in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 20, but his comeback was marred by another setback—a broken foot sustained in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs on December 15. The injury occurred when he was tackled awkwardly after a 7-yard run, forcing him to miss the final three games of the season. In total, Chubb played in 8 games in 2024, rushing for 649 yards and 4 touchdowns on 149 carries, a respectable but diminished output compared to his pre-injury form.
Prior to these injuries, Chubb had also faced challenges with availability. In 2020, he missed 4 games due to a sprained MCL in his right knee, suffered in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys. In 2021, he sat out 2 games with a calf strain, and in 2022, he missed 1 game due to a foot injury. Over the past five seasons (2020-2024), Chubb has missed 27 games, a stark contrast to his first two years in the league (2018-2019), when he played all 32 games and established himself as one of the NFL’s elite backs. Despite these setbacks, Chubb’s talent remains undeniable. When healthy, he’s a workhorse known for his punishing running style, exceptional vision, and ability to break tackles. From 2018 to 2022, he averaged 5.3 yards per carry, amassing 6,511 yards and 48 touchdowns on 1,238 attempts, earning four straight Pro Bowl nods (2019-2022). His 2019 season was a breakout, with 1,494 yards and 8 touchdowns, and he followed it up with 1,067 yards and 12 scores in just 12 games in 2020. In 2022, he led the NFL with 12 runs of 40-plus yards, showcasing his breakaway speed despite his 5-foot-11, 227-pound frame, per Pro Football Reference.
Chubb’s release by the Browns came on March 12, 2025, a move driven by financial considerations and his injury history. The Browns, who had restructured his contract in April 2024 to lower his cap hit while adding incentives, declined to pick up his 2025 option, which would have carried a $15.8 million cap hit, per OverTheCap. Cleveland GM Andrew Berry called the decision “difficult but necessary,” citing the team’s shift toward younger backs like Jerome Ford and the addition of Oregon rookie Dillon Gabriel in the 2025 draft. Chubb, a second-round pick by the Browns in 2018 out of Georgia—where he rushed for 4,769 yards and 44 touchdowns, ranking second in school history behind Herschel Walker—left Cleveland as the franchise’s second-leading rusher with 6,511 yards, trailing only Jim Brown.
As a free agent, Chubb remains unsigned as of April 29, 2025, despite his recent workout showcasing his explosiveness and health. The Bears, who finished 2024 with a 7-10 record and ranked 18th in rushing yards (2,105), are a potential fit, especially with D’Andre Swift’s contract expiring and Khalil Herbert entering the final year of his deal. Chicago’s backfield could benefit from Chubb’s experience and physicality, particularly in short-yardage situations, where they converted just 62% of third-and-1 runs in 2024, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Other teams rumored to be interested include the Dallas Cowboys, who lost Tony Pollard to the Titans, and the Washington Commanders, seeking a complement to Brian Robinson Jr.
When healthy, Chubb is a game-changer. His career 5.0 yards per carry average ranks among the best for running backs with at least 1,000 attempts since 2018, and his 76.2% career success rate on runs—defined as gaining at least 40% of the required yards on first down, 60% on second down, or 100% on third/fourth down, per Pro Football Focus—highlights his consistency. In 2022, he ranked second among running backs with 1,525 yards after contact, trailing only Josh Jacobs, showcasing his ability to power through defenders. However, his injury history has made teams cautious. At 29, with significant wear on his knees and a recent foot injury, Chubb’s market has been slower to develop than expected for a player of his caliber. A one-year, prove-it deal—potentially in the $4-6 million range with incentives—seems likely, allowing him to demonstrate he can still be an RB1 while minimizing risk for his next team.
For a team like the Bears, signing Chubb could be a low-risk, high-reward move. His leadership—he was a team captain in Cleveland from 2020 to 2024—and ability to handle a heavy workload (averaging 19.6 carries per game from 2019-2022) could stabilize their backfield as they build around quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in 2024. If Chubb can stay healthy, his bruising style and proven production make him a valuable asset for any contender looking to bolster their ground game in 2025. For now, he remains a free agent, but his recent workout signals he’s ready to reclaim his spot among the NFL’s elite running backs.
