Browns: 3 potential concerns with Nick Chubb signing a new contract

Injury concerns for Nick Chubb are real

While Nick Chubb has only missed four games in his career, he’s also only started 37 of a possible 48. Chubb has only started 16 games once in his career, and now the regular season is moving to 17 games. While 2020 could be a fluke, it could also be a sign that Chubb is already breaking down. Not the likeliest of possibilities but still, one that does exist.

With Chubb, contact is a major part of his style. Can he sustain that style over 17 regular-season games, and hopefully, three playoff games? It’s hard to say, either way, we don’t know. That concern is the reason for the entry. That concern would also be here regardless if he started 48 of 48 games or not. It’s part of doing business with running backs, the one position that takes more hits each game than anyone else who isn’t offensive linemen.

Running backs are not the most durable players due to the amount of punishment they take. You can keep a car for 40 years if you only drive it every other month. It’s a lot harder when you put it through the demotion derby every weekend.

Then you gotta factor in the fact that Chubb is a bit undersized for being a power back. It’s one thing to be hurt when you’re Mik Alstott, Jerome Bettis, or even Derrick Henry; big burling runners who throw themselves into guys. Have a sprained ankle? Who cares, just run over the 220lb linebacker. 40-times don’t matter if you’re on your butt.

Injuries are a very different thing for someone like Chubb, who combines his elusiveness and strength. Chubb doesn’t drop his shoulders as often as Henry or others do, because he doesn’t have the same size. Instead, he throws that stiff arm and shifts weight away from that arm to gain some distance. That’s hard to do when you can’t shift weight off or onto a specific ankle.

Henry is 6’4 and nearly 250 lbs, he can survive on a bum ankle, because he can still just barrel through arm tackles. Not the case for Chubb, a bum ankle takes away half of Chubb’s style. He’s not just a guy who’s going to go up the gut and bounce off tacklers.