Last season was an unfortunate one for the Cleveland Browns. In their Week 2 “Monday Night Football” game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, star running back Nick Chubb blew out his knee, and just like that, his season was over.
He suffered a torn MCL and an injured ACL, which required him to undergo surgery twice. Somehow, even without him and quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose season ended after six games because of a shoulder injury, Cleveland won 11 games and made it to the playoffs for just the second time since 2002.
The team already hosted its mandatory minicamp, and while Chubb isn’t quite ready to get back onto the field, he did post a photo on Instagram that shows a prominent scar on his surgically repaired left knee. Under the photo, he posted a one-word message: “Unbreakable.”
Will Nick Chubb be able to recover for the Browns?
Over the last few years, Chubb established himself as one of the NFL’s very best running backs, and he has been named to the Pro Bowl four times in his six seasons. In 2022, he ran for 12 touchdowns and a career-high 1,525 yards, and some likely thought he was poised for even higher production last season.
He got off to a good start in Week 1 with 106 yards on 18 carries in a 24-3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals until his injury derailed everything.
One has to wonder if he will be the same after that injury. Luckily, medical science has come far enough where suffering torn knee ligaments doesn’t mean an athlete has to lose any of his athleticism or explosiveness.
In an attempt to patch up their offensive backfield until Chubb is able to return, the Browns signed running back D’Onta Foreman this offseason. Foreman may not be a game-changing back, but he did run for a decent 914 yards and five touchdowns as recently as 2022 as a member of the Carolina Panthers.
If Nick Chubb returns soon enough and returns to form, and if Watson also returns to form after two dismal seasons in Cleveland, the Browns should be able to not only make the playoffs, but also do some real damage there.
The current iteration of the franchise has won just one playoff game and made the playoffs only three times since beginning play in the 1999 season.
Unfortunately, they do play in the NFL’s toughest division in the AFC North, and the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten better, while the Cincinnati Bengals will bounce back after a lost 2023 campaign.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
