Veteran free agent operating again Nick Chubb signed with the Houston Texans after passing a staff bodily, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Chubb was the most effective accessible gamers available on the market and lands with the Texans on a one-year deal price a minimum of $2.5 million and as much as $5 million. He discovered a brand new dwelling after a return to the Cleveland Browns became “increasingly unlikely,” The four-time Professional Bowler joined returning Texans starter Joe Mixon to shore up a backfield that lacked dependable playmakers in 2024 when Mixon was off the sphere.
The transfer to Houston clears a path to enjoying time for Chubb, who would have discovered himself in a crowded operating again room if he re-signed with Cleveland. The Browns chosen Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson within the second and fourth rounds of the NFL Draft, respectively, and introduced Jerome Ford again from final 12 months’s roster. Investing in these different choices made Chubb the odd man out in Cleveland.
Experiences surfaced Sunday indicating Chubb and the Texans have been near a deal. The expectation was that they’d formalize the settlement as soon as the skilled ballcarrier handed his bodily, which was scheduled for Monday.
Nick Chubb free agency: Browns GM Andrew Berry says it’s ‘increasingly unlikely’ team re-signs RB
Jared Dubin
Mixon paced the Texans backfield final season with a dynamic 1,016-yard, 11-touchdown season, however dashing manufacturing lacked exterior of his efforts. Dameon Pierce was the No. 2 choice and collected a modest 293 yards — 92 of which got here on one play — and two touchdowns. Mixon additionally led all Texans operating backs within the receiving division by a big margin.
Whereas his numbers dwindled final season in his return from damage, Chubb stays a confirmed again with 1,500-yard upside and 4 1,000-yard seasons on his résumé. His free company inventory unquestionably took successful, although, as he was clearly not in peak kind after his year-long absence tied to a number of knee surgical procedures.
Chubb underwent procedures in 2023 to restore his medial capsule, meniscus, MCL and ACL in his left knee. It was the identical knee during which he tore his MCL, LCL and PCL in a 2015 damage throughout his faculty profession at Georgia.
At his finest, Chubb was one of many high operating backs within the NFL. He made the Professional Bowl in 4 straight years from 2019-2022 and rushed for a minimum of 1,000 yards in every of these seasons, maxing out at 1,525 yards in 2022, his most up-to-date absolutely wholesome season. Chubb set and matched a profession excessive in touchdowns with 12 in two totally different campaigns throughout that span.
