Report: Nick Chubb, Demetric Felton test positive for COVID-19
Just two days after a strong offensive display, the Cleveland Browns’ offense might need to fill some holes. Running backs Nick Chubb and Demetric Felton tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday morning, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Both players are vaccinated, which means they need two negative tests 24 hours apart to play in Sunday’s game, according to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols.
Cleveland can’t afford to lose any more running backs. John Kelly is also on the COVID/injured reserve list and Kareem Hunt is on injured reserve with a calf injury. That leaves D’Ernest Johnson as Cleveland’s only running back if Chubb and Felton can’t play this week.
Chubb is coming off a huge game against the Cincinnati Bengals — his second game back from a calf injury. He ran for 137 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard touchdown rush, to lead Cleveland to a 41-16 win over Cincinnati.
Felton didn’t have any carries in that game, but he had a catch for 22 yards as part of a 218-yard passing day from Baker Mayfield. He scored his lone touchdown in Week 2.
Cleveland and the New England Patriots square off Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. ET.
Nick Chubb signs three-year extension with Browns
Chubb didn’t just have a big game recently, though. The Browns signed him to a contract extension, keeping him in Cleveland through 2024.
According to Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk, the deal is worth $36.6 million over three years with $20 million guaranteed. The deal will pay Chubb $12.2 million per season, which is the sixth-highest total among running backs. Chubb’s $20 million guaranteed is the seventh-highest guarantee among running backs.
Chubb was selected as the 35th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The former Georgia Bulldog ran for 4,769 yards and 44 touchdowns in four collegiate seasons. He has seen similar success over the early stages of his NFL career. As a rookie in 2018, Chubb ran for 996 yards and eight touchdowns. He broke out in 2019, running for 1,494 yards and eight touchdowns. Chubb missed a few games in 2020, but he still ran for 1,067 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 12 regular-season contests.
Over a full 16-game schedule, Chubb would have been on pace to run for 1,422 yards. This would have been the third-best total in the league, behind just Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook. Chubb had 12 runs of 20 or more yards, which trailed just Henry.
The Browns were looking to lock up their running back as he is about to enter the final year of his rookie deal.