BEREA, Ohio — The Browns have officially designated running back Nick Chubb for return to practice after announcing his expected return earlier in the week.
Chubb started the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, rehabbing an MCL and ACL injury he sustained in Week 2 last year and had surgery to repair. He'd ramped up his work over the past several months and is now back on the practice fields.
Chubb participated in individual drills, taking handoffs from the quarterbacks and doing some work with the running backs room.
Chubb's return is a moment that fans have been waiting for, just as the team has been waiting for.
"It'd be good to have his presence, his attitude, his mentality out there to help us and we'll see how it goes. Hopefully it’s sooner than later but yeah, we’re all super excited for Chubb to be back and just him to be back on the field is definitely awesome," said quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Others on the team were so excited that they joked about finally getting to go against him on the other side of the ball.
"We just want to hit Nick because he's on the scout team, so we just look forward to tackling him down to the ground on a Wednesday. I'm joking," linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah laughed. "But no, it adds some enthusiasm to the life of the team. Obviously there's a great force that Nick brings in his preparation, in his talking, in his vibration, he's an anchor for us and even if he knows he's not playing right away, it'll be good for him to be on those sidelines, some voice and even being in practice, it adds a different funk to it."
But at the end of the day, it's a moment that Chubb has worked hard for since sustaining the injury over a year ago.
"Energy. You see how hard he worked day in and day out. This whole process, we've been here with him, so just to finally see him go back out there and play the game he loves—and we know he loves it a lot—it's going to be wonderful to see," said running back Pierre Strong Jr., who returned to practice Wednesday himself after being sidelined with a hamstring injury the past two weeks.
In addition to Chubb, the Browns also designated running back Nyheim Hines and offensive lineman Michael Dunn.
Dunn started the season on the reserve/non-football illness list. His return would be a major boost for depth on the offensive line, which has been riddled with injuries this season.
Hines has been on the non-football injury list to start the season, rehabbing a knee injury of his own that he sustained last year before the season began.
Hines and Chubb have tackled their rehab together and are excited to get back on the practice fields, which head coach Kevin Stefanski called a "natural progression" for them.
"They've been together quite a bit. They're pushing each other in the training room, in the meeting room. I think both guys are really, really excited to be practicing again because that's hard when you're a player and you don't have a helmet on and you're off to the side and you can't participate in a walk-through just yet," Stefanski said. "So I think that's a big part of this is these guys being able to participate—even in a walk-through—and then at practice as well."
With Chubb, Hines and Dunn officially designated for return, the Browns have 21 days to activate them to the active roster, or they must remain on the PUP list.
In another roster move, the Browns have signed rookie linebacker Nathaniel "Bookie" Watson to the active roster from the practice squad. Watson was a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was waived earlier this season and signed back to the practice squad.
