CLEVELAND, Ohio — In this edition of Hey, Mary Kay! I answer questions about Nick Chubb, Shedeur Sanders and more. Some of the questions came from our Browns Insider Subscribers. To become one, click the blue banner at the top of the Cleveland.com/Browns page. Thanks!
Hey, Mary Kay:
Why can’t the Browns re-sign Nick Chubb after Jerome Ford agreed to take a paycut? They’re getting back to running the ball more this year. Can’t they carry four running backs? — Ben Jones, Macon, Ga.
Hey, Ben: Chubb’s return was largely dependent on Jerome Ford’s status for this season. If he was willing to take a paycut from his $3.486 million salary for this season, it meant the Browns would be very unlikely to re-sign Nick Chubb. Ford accepted paycut to $1.75 million on Friday, about half of his original salary, but it’s also guaranteed. It likely spelled the end of Chubb’s seven-year career here, a tough pill to swallow for Browns fans. Chubb posted video this week of himself clearing high hurdles at his alma mater, Cedartown High in Georgia, and also squatting more than 500 pounds.
Coming off a broken foot that cost him the final three games of last season, Chubb is serving notice to NFL teams that he’s ready to play, and has vowed to be stronger than last season coming off the major knee reconstruction. If a Browns running back gets injured, Chubb will likely be on their short list, but as of now, it appears he’ll play elsewhere this season.
Hey, Mary Kay:
Was the decision to draft Shedeur Sanders made by Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry or did Jimmy Haslam force them to?! — Nelson Mathe, Elmhurst, New York
Hey Nelson: Haslam wouldn’t force Berry to make a decision like that. Berry has final say over roster decisions, and Haslam lets him do his job. Berry collaborates with others, including Stefanski, on such decisions, but he is driving the roster bus and Haslam doesn’t meddle. Back in 2014, when the inexperienced Ray Farmer was GM, Haslam influenced the pick of Johnny Manziel. But Berry is an experienced GM, and Haslam isn’t mandating moves. In the case of Deshaun Watson, he did come through with the fully guaranteed contract, but the trade itself wasn’t Haslam’s idea. It’s a perception he’ll always have a hard time shaking, but he’s not Jerry Jones.
Hey, Mary Kay:
There’s no way the Browns can carry four quarterbacks on the roster, right? Is Joe Flacco the odd man out? I don’t see Andrew Berry cutting Shedeur Sanders even if he doesn’t play well in camp or preseason games. — Matt Dros, Fairview Park, Ohio
Hey, Matt: The Browns can carry four quarterbacks on the roster at the beginning of the season if they’re hoping to trade one and want to give it a week or two to see if a team comes calling. It’s what they did last year before they released Tyler Huntley a day after he made the final roster. If the Browns can swing it, they might be able to parlay one of them into a draft pick. Last year, they were willing to trade Jameis Winston on cutdown day after Dorian Thompson-Robinson tied him for the backup job. They would’ve also done so at the trade deadline. This year, veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco will compete with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders for the job. I would think the Browns would want to keep both rookies, and I know they like Pickett. If he lives up to expectations in camp, Flacco could end up on the trading block.
Hey, Mary Kay:
What were the top quarterbacks Kevin Stefanski liked going into the draft? He must seen something in the Dillon Gabriel pick, like mental or accuracy etc. Curious other picks he liked? Thanks! — Mark Amendolara, Youngstown, Ohio
Hey, Mark: I believe Stefanski liked a number of quarterbacks in this draft, including Cam Ward, who went No. 1 to the Titans, and Tyler Shough, who went No. 40 to the Saints. He also really likes Gabriel, who has a strong arm, an FBS-record 63 career starts, good mobility, and excellent processing speed. He also liked Shedeur Sanders, but not as much as he liked Gabriel, which is obvious because they drafted No. 94, and passed on Sanders six times until they traded up to get him at No. 144. The quarterbacks on the roster this year, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders, are well-suited for Stefanski’s version of the West Coast offense. The competition for the starting job promises to be lively.
Hey, Mary Kay:
Okay, I understand best player available, and I even agree with the strategy. That said, where exactly does Andrew Berry find a No. 2 wide receiver who can stretch the field, and some offensive line depth? There aren’t a lot of tackles in FA. Could there be some post-draft trades in the works? — David Smith, Port Washington, New York
Hey, David: The Browns signed receiver Diontae Johnson this week, and if he can bring the best version of himself to Cleveland and not run into the same problems he did last season when three different teams gave up on him, he’ll have an opportunity to get his Pro Bowl career back on track here. He’ll have to make sure to get his attitude right over the next few months and realize the tremendous opportunity he has in front of him. He has immense talent and he’s still only 28. Perhaps teams ushering him out the door last season will be enough for him to want to change. He will have a familiar face here in quarterback Kenny Pickett, so maybe that will help.
Hey, Mary Kay:
Why are the Browns keeping Pierre Strong on the roster? Nick Chubb is infinitely more valuable than Strong. — Doward Williamson, Sacramento, CA
Hey, Doward: Strong is under contract in 2025 for only $1.1 million, which is a bargain basement price for a back. The Browns would need to pay Chubb significantly more than that, or at least give him an incentive-laden contract. But the thing with Chubb is that he’s a bellcow back, and that’s second-round pick Quinshon Judkins’ role this year. The Browns also draft shifty speedster Dylan Sampson out of Tennessee in the fourth round for a change of pace and third-down duty. Chubb isn’t well-suited for the third-down role, so he might not get much playing time behind Judkins. Chubb’s best bet for this season is to replace a RB1 who goes down with an injury, much like Kareem Hunt did last season in Kansas City.
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