NFL Trade Rumors: Commanders Get 'Great Buy-Low' Option in Browns RB Nick Chubb?
With six picks in the top 102 of the 2024 NFL Draft and the most cap space in the NFL, there are plenty of avenues Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters can take to improve a disappointing offense from last season.
One option Peters can take with his bevy of draft picks is using them to upgrade positions of need. That's the route Heavy.com took in a proposed trade, as they had the Commanders landing Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb for a pair of mid-round picks.
Jan 1, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) carries the ball against the Washington Commanders during the second half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
"Given he’s coming off a second knee surgery, his price shouldn’t be too high," Heavy.com writes. "For the Commanders, it’s a great buy-low option. A proposed trade could be a 2024 fourth-round draft pick and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick. It’s tough to determine his value given the injuries he’s sustained."
If Chubb was healthy, this is a deal that can make sense. Adding a proven running back on trade that doesn't cost any of the Commanders valuable picks wouldn't just bolster the backfield, it would give the offense a proven player who can open up the entire offense. Chubb, 28, has run for at least 995 yards and eight touchdowns in five straight seasons before last season.
Chubb's health is a huge caveat though that can't be ignored. It was just any knee injury, it was one of the more gruesome injuries you'll ever see, and it's the second time he has suffered one in that manner in his career. Running backs already age rapidly compared to other positions, and one could assume a second gruesome knee injury may all but assure Chubb's best days are behind him.
Heavy.com also noted that Chubb may be a cut candidate due to his injury history and the Browns' cap situation. If there's a chance Chubb could be a free agent, Washington would be better off waiting and potentially signing him to a one-year prove-it deal.
Brian Robinson Jr. has also shown promise in subpar offenses in his last two seasons. If anything, he should get a chance to prove he can be the bell cow the Commanders need in the backfield under the tutelage of running backs coach and run game coordinator Anthony Lynn.
Peters has a chance to turn around the franchise this offseason given the amount of picks and cap space he has to work with. Using some of those assets on a running back approaching 30 years old and coming off a season-ending injury would be a mistake.
