Early Thursday morning, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the Cleveland Browns have “reworked” Nick Chubb’s contract. Rapoport and the NFL Network provided insightful commentary on why the Browns decided to reach a “fair” deal with Chubb.
The star running back is on the path to recovery after a serious injury last season. Chubb now has the chance to earn back the $11.7 million in base pay he was scheduled to receive this season through incentives. This revised contract is seen as a tough decision for the Browns, considering Chubb’s exceptional performance over the past six seasons, including a career-high 1,525 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2022, and over 6,000 rushing yards and 48 touchdowns in his first five seasons with Cleveland.
However, Chubb’s injury last season has raised concerns about whether he will return to his previous level of play. There were even rumors that the Browns were considering cutting him after the injury to avoid keeping a potentially underperforming player on the roster.
Despite limited updates on Chubb’s recovery, the Browns have chosen to protect themselves financially by offering him the opportunity to earn back part of his salary through performance-based incentives. This move is seen as a way for the Browns to secure their investment in Chubb while also acknowledging the risks associated with his injury.
Rapoport described the new agreement as a “fair” deal, highlighting that it allows Chubb to stay with a playoff-caliber team while the Browns retain one of their most respected and best players at a reduced cost.
The contract arrangement appears unjust to the injured running back. To me, it seems like the Browns are exploiting the situation of an injured athlete, who got injured while attempting to score a touchdown against a divisional rival, in order to save money. The current structure of the league seems to penalize running backs who perform well. Could running backs respond by forming their own bargaining agreement to push back against these challenges?
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