The legendary Nick Chubb is still looking for his next NFL home. Originally a second-round pick by the Browns back in 2018, he quickly established himself as one of the best running backs in the league. As a rookie, he was just four yards short of hitting 1,000, and from 2019-2022, he was over 1,000 rushing yards each season, twice nearing or exceeding the 1,500 yard mark.

But a devastatingly gruesome knee injury in the second game of the 2023 season altered his career forever. Chubb tore his left MCL and also damaged his meniscus and medial capsule in one of the most horrifying football injuries I’ve ever seen live. Needless to say, he missed the remainder of the season, returning midway through 2024 at a fraction of his former effectiveness.

Across his first six seasons, Chubb’s worst yards per carry average was 5.0. But in 2024, that dropped to 3.3, as his burst and explosiveness were clearly sapped by the knee injury he’d suffered the year prior.

In 2025, the Browns chose to go in a different direction with a youth movement and Chubb landed with the Texans. Though he still wasn’t back to his former self, he was reasonably effective, rushing for 506 yards at 4.1 yards per attempt. He wasn’t the every-down difference-maker he’d been at his peak, but he was a competent short-yardage back who still showed flashes of his early-career greatness.

I don’t know much more more Chubb has left in the tank, but at worst, he can probably reasonably approximate what he did in Houston last season. His best days are clearly behind him, but he’s still effective in short-yardage and goal-line situations and he can grind out tough yards between the tackles. It’ll probably be a one-year deal for close to the veteran minimum, but there’s likely a job out there for him if he wants one.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers should be kicking the tires on all the veteran backs they can. Do-it-all RB Josh Jacobs was arrested on serious domestic violence charges last week, including a felony strangulation/suffocation charge. Jacobs maintains his innocence and has been released from jail as the investigation is ongoing — and no formal charges have been filed with the district attorney yet. Though it’s possible Jacobs will be able to prove his innocence or at least avoid the most serious charges from sticking, the Packers would do well to prepare in case of a suspension, or possibly worse.

Because even if Jacobs wasn’t dealing with any sort of legal trouble, Green Bay doesn’t have much in the way of depth at the running back position. 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd has played in a grand total of one game across his first two seasons due to injury, and Chris Brooks has 82 carries across his first three NFL seasons. Pierre Strong Jr. might be the most proven backup on the roster, and he’s primarily been a special teamer since being drafted in the fourth round by the Patriots in 2022.

Whether Jacobs is with the team when the season starts or not, the Packers need to invest a little more in some depth. They seem to be content with Lloyd as Jacobs’ primary backup, but he’s done little to earn that level of trust. At this point in his career, Chubb wouldn’t be a threat to Jacobs’ starting job, but he could come in and provide a baseline level of play should Jacobs miss time or even just to spell him for a drive or two each game throughout the season.

Seattle Seahawks

Yes, the Seahawks used a first-round pick on Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price. But I don’t know if that’s enough. Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is now in Kansas City and his running mate, Zach Charbonnet, is expected to miss most of the season after tearing his ACL in the playoffs. Other than Price, the only notable addition the Seahawks made to their backfield this offseason was signing career backup and special teamer Emanuel Wilson.

Most likely, Charbonnet is looking at a midseason return, but that could get pushed back even later depending on how his rehab continues to go. There’s no guarantee he’s a significant contributor at all this season, and Price is a rookie. Asking him to be the every-down back for a team looking to defend their Super Bowl title is a tall task, even for a first-round pick.

Chubb’s presence would take a lot of pressure off of Price. He could soak up a lot of the early-down bruiser work, letting Price take on a bigger role as the season progresses. Even if Price is ready to go out of the gate, he still needs a backup, and Chubb is better-suited to that role than Wilson. Chubb’s workload may all but disappear once Charbonnet is back, but that might not be for the majority of the season.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills are another team in need of a backup running back. James Cook has become one of the best backs in the league, and he plays the bulk of the snaps for Buffalo. Ray Davis and Ty Johnson are his primary backups, but neither makes a consistent impact. Johnson has a lot more receiving utility than Davis does, but both typically see 50 carries or so across the season.

Chubb would be another body for the Bills, but he’d factor into the competition between Johnson and Davis. Perhaps he beats one of them out, perhaps not, but if the Bills want to keep four backs on the final roster, they don’t have a fourth player worthy of that spot right now. Chubb would push for a roster spot and short-yardage role, something Cook struggles with at times.

Other teams to watch: Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys