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Cleveland Browns 2024 Free Agency: Running Back Targets
The Cleveland Browns could use an upgrade at backup running back (and potentially spot starter) for the 2024 season. Here are some players Andrew Berry could target at the position in free agency.
The Cleveland Browns positional needs this offseason, while not as abundant as prior years, will still play a significant role in how general manager Andrew Berry approaches free agency, the draft, and trade possibilities. In this series, we are going to take a look at unrestricted free agent (players with expired contracts that have completed four or more accrued seasons of service) options at certain positions for which the Browns could use an upgrade as a starter or depth/rotational type players.
First up is running backs, where I expect the Browns to restructure Nick Chubb’s contract ($12.2M with no guarantees) in order to create more salary cap room. The options presented here are more in the realm of spot starters/complementary pieces, as I expect Chubb to return at some point during 2024 as the team’s bell cow.
Note that all statistics were sourced from Sports Info Solutions, SumerSports, rbsdm.com, and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted
Some definitions of metrics used throughout:
Expected points added (“EPA”) via Inside the Pylon: “Expected Points Added (EPA) is a football statistic that seeks to measure the value of individual plays in terms of points. This is done by calculating the Expected Points (EP) of the down, distance, and field position situation at the start of a play and contrasting it with the situation at the end of the play. A three-yard gain on first-and-10 is pretty different than a three-yard gain on third-and-two, something not usually captured in conventional statistics. The Expected Points framework helps translate raw gains into value.”
Relative Athletic Score (“RAS”): measures a prospect’s athletic testing results from the combine or a pro day in relation to the prospect’s size and historical results from players at the same position. Each prospect is given a score from 0 to 10 based on how their RAS matches up to those of the same position throughout history. Compiled and calculated by Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network.
Age: 25.1
RAS: N/A
PFF Projected Contract: 1-year, $2.5M
Notes: A former second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, J.K. Dobbins’ career has been derailed by injury after injury, including a torn ACL in 2021 and a torn achilles in 2022. However, when healthy, Dobbins does provide value at the running back position. His best (and most active) season came during his rookie campaign, where he totaled 890 yards on 153 attempts (5.8 yards per attempt) and 10 touchdowns. His broken/missed tackle per attempt rate of 20.9 percent was the 5th-best at the position and his +22.7 EPA was the 2nd-most (trailing only Derrick Henry). While there is some risk involved given the injury history, Dobbins could very well outperform a $2.5M contract if he can stay on the field.
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