NFL running back Nick Chubb is somehow still a free agent, even with the 2025 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror. The former Pro Bowler and 2022 second-team AP All-Pro spent his entire seven-year career with the Cleveland Browns, who drafted him No. 35 overall in 2018. But the Browns seemingly aren’t interested in bringing him back, especially after selecting two running backs in this year’s draft.
Why Is Nick Chubb Still Unsigned?
Chubb was incredibly consistent over his first five seasons with the Browns, logging four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons after finishing with 996 yards as a rookie. However, his career hit a major setback after a gruesome knee injury in Week 2 of the 2023 season—a torn MCL and damaged ACL—that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
He returned in 2024 but didn’t appear fully healthy. Chubb played in just eight games, rushing for 332 yards and three touchdowns on 102 carries. He added five receptions for 31 yards and one receiving touchdown. It was the first season of his career where he averaged fewer than 5.0 yards per carry.
Then, in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Chubb broke his foot, ending his season early once again. Those back-to-back injury-plagued seasons—just 10 total games played—are a big reason why he remains unsigned post-draft.
Chubb’s three-year, $36.6 million contract with Cleveland, signed in 2021, expired after last season, making him a free agent for the first time in his career. While injuries cloud his recent past, his earlier seasons established him as one of the league’s best backs—and there’s still a decent chance a team scoops him up in the coming weeks.
From 2019 to 2022, Chubb topped 1,000 rushing yards each season, scored 42 touchdowns, and lost just six fumbles.
At the start of free agency, PFSN’s Cameron Sheath highlighted several teams as potential landing spots for Chubb: the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, and Las Vegas Raiders.
Each team makes sense for similar reasons. The Seahawks have Kenneth Walker III as the lead back, but Chubb could offer strong depth. The Raiders added Raheem Mostert and drafted Ashton Jeanty, but still have room to improve their run game.
Meanwhile, with Najee Harris gone, the Steelers look like a natural fit—even after drafting Kaleb Johnson in the second round. Denver also picked a running back early but still lacks a clear-cut starter, and Chubb could provide a veteran presence for a year or two.
