4 Browns Who Will Lose Their Roster Spot to a Rookie in the NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns must upgrade several areas of their roster to come back better than ever for the 2024 NFL campaign. With that in mind, look for these four Browns to lose their roster spots to rookies found in the NFL Draft.

Sep 24, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) runs the ball / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

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3. Nick Chubb, RB

When it comes to Browns offseason rumors, one of the more prominent ones out there has been the idea of the Browns potentially moving on from starting running back Nick Chubb.

Chubb looked like he was ready to set the world on fire to begin the 2023 NFL season. The four-time Pro Bowl rusher racked up 170 yards on only 28 carries before a season-ending knee injury ended his run just two games into the campaign.

Although fans are hopeful about a full recovery, it's important to remember that Chubb is already nearing 30 with 1,238 carries and 6,511 rushing yards on his body. It's also the second time that he's suffered a major injury to the same knee since 2015, potentially lowering his chances of fully bouncing back this fall.

Not only are his injuries a concern, but so is Chubb's salary cap hit. Even though the 2024 salary cap received a major boost last week, the Browns are still nearly $8 million over the limit. Nevertheless, they can easily get back into the green by either waiving or trading Chubb at any point this offseason, saving over $11.8 million in the process, per Spotrac.

Running backs are one of the most often replaced positions in the NFL, so it wouldn't be that surprising if the Browns opted for a rookie rusher over Chubb. Considering how Cleveland's ground game was able to squeeze solid production out of the likes of Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong, and Kareem Hunt in 2023, I could see a rookie RB having a ton of success (even if it isn't on the same level as Chubb).

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