As the Chicago Bears look to build out their running back room, Nick Chubb of Cleveland Browns fame has been heavily linked to the franchise. Following the Browns’ latest announcement, the Chubb to Chicago buzz will only grow louder.
Both franchises foreshadowed a potential connection. The Bears left the draft with just seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai, leaving their need for a running back open. The Browns on the other hand selected both Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, to go alongside Jerome Ford who was already on the roster.
On Friday, Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry put the final nail in the Chubb return coffin. He confirmed that it is, “increasingly unlikely,” the Browns re-sign Chubb, via 92.3 The Fan, h/t Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team.
#Browns GM Andrew Berry acknowledged today on @923TheFan that bringing back RB Nick Chubb is “increasingly unlikely” at this point in time. pic.twitter.com/TZvuz4sESG
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 9, 2025
Nick Chubb, Chicago Bears buzz grows louder
To be clear, the Bears aren’t the only team interested in Chubb. And that’s if they actually are interested, perhaps the team prefers JK Dobbins or another veteran. However, Chicago is one of the few NFL franchises with a clear need at running back. Chubb remains one of the best names available, making the fit easy to speculate on.
The only problem has been the running back’s injury issues. A serious MCL/ACL injury in 2023 limited him to just two games. Then when Chubb made his return in 2024, his season was ended after eight games due to a fractured foot. If the Bears are seriously going to pursue Chubb, they need to ensure that he is fully cleared medically and can ensure the rigors of a 17-game season.
But fans and analysts haven’t forgotten about the running back’s four-straight Pro Bowl appearances from 2019-2022. Over his entire seven year tenure with the Browns, Chubb ran for 6,843 yards and 51 touchdowns. He even added 128 receptions for 1,042 yards and five touchdowns.
Perhaps Chubb’s most impressive stat is his 5.1 yards per carry career average. The whole reason Chicago is in need of a running back is because of D’Andre Swift’s 3.8 YPC average in 2024. While the offensive line did him no favors, Swift must be more efficient with the ball to maintain his lead rushing role in Ben Johnson’s new offense.
To be fair, Chubb averaged just 3.3 yards during the 2024 season. But he has returning from injury and ended up suffering another one. If the Bears were to pursue the running back, they’d look at his injury seasons as outliers rather than the norm.
Chicago will certainly have competition in their Chubb pursuit. But with the Browns bowing out of the race, the path for the running back to sign with the Bears has become much clearer.
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