It may be time for the Cleveland Browns to start thinking about life after Nick Chubb.
Chubb returned from a devastating knee injury a few weeks ago and has been largely unproductive in three games, carrying the ball 42 times for 113 yards and a touchdown.
That's good for a paltry average of 2.7 yards per carry, an indication that Chubb—who now has two serious knee injuries in his rearview mirror—could be on a sharp decline.
As a result, the Browns need to consider drafting a running back in April, and Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine has identified a perfect target for them: North Carolina Tar Heels star Omarion Hampton.
Fellow Bleacher Report analyst Ryan Fowler even compared Hampton to New York Jets halfback Breece Hall.
"Like Hall, Hampton's explosiveness and ability to create both inside and outside the tackles is excellent," Fowler wrote. "However, Hampton's physical approach to the position reminds me of [Brian] Robinson out of Alabama because of his powerful build and hunger to gain every inch of yardage."
Hampton has already racked up 1,178 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground in 2024. He leads the ACC in both categories. Additionally, he is averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Last year, the 21-year-old racked up 1,504 yards and 15 scores as a rusher, pacing the conference in each of the two stats. He logged 5.9 yards per attempt.
What's more, Hampton has shown solid ability as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, accumulating 61 receptions for 527 yards while reaching the end zone three times over three seasons at North Carolina.
Chubb turns 29 years old in December, so as painful as it may seem, it's probably time for Cleveland to seek a replacement. Hampton could be the solution.
This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.
