Why Nick Chubb could be the Browns most important offensive weapon in 2020

The success of the Cleveland Browns offense hinges on running back Nick Chubb

Last year, the Cleveland Browns walked away from playoff contention with a whimper, despite them having the best offense on paper. Head coach Freddie Kitchens was deemed the problem, and owner Jimmy Haslam made an immediate upgrade in the form of Kevin Stefanski, the ex-Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator.

The Browns boast a vastly improved squad walking into training camp, thanks to strong. free agency signings and NFL Draft selections. While many NFL experts, analysts, and pundits are placing the potential success of the team on quarterback Baker Mayfield, that’s really not true. The most important offensive player for Cleveland is running back Nick Chubb.

Kevin Stefanski’s offense succeeds with a strong running game

In today’s NFL, saying that an offense thrives on an effective running game is almost frowned upon. Like it’s some sick joke to them. But, you have to look at the facts. The Tennessee Titans made it to the AFC Championship Game last season by feeding the ball to Derrick Henry. Guess what? It worked!

Nobody knows that more than Stefanski.

In 2018, Stefanski was the Vikings quarterbacks coach, where he worked under then-offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. At the start of the campaign, Minnesota was extremely pass-heavy and the rushing attack was virtually non-existent. That led to the Vikings firing DeFilippo and promoting Stefanski, who immediately started utilizing Dalvin Cook.

Stefanski reaped the benefits with his first full season on the job last year. Through 16 games, Cook carried the ball 250 times and rushed for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns. Most importantly, this allowed the Vikings passing attack to thrive, because opposing defenses were tired out from trying to slow down Cook.

That strategy will definitely work with Chubb

To be honest, Stefanski couldn’t have picked a better team to coach than the Browns. Their offense is eerily similar to the squad he had in Minnesota. Odell Beckham Jr. lined up on the outside, a la Stefon Diggs, and Jarvis Landry alternating between running routes wide and in the slot, just like Adam Thielen. And more importantly, Stefanski has his Cook in Nick Chubb.

This past season, Chubb rushed for a staggering 1,494 yards and eight scores on 298 carries. And he posted these numbers behind a lackluster offensive line! Now, Chubb has improved blockers in front of him now that the Browns signed right tackle Jack Conklin off the open market and selected Alabama left tackle Jedrick Wills with their first round selection in this year’s NFL Draft.

Is a quarterback important to an offense’s success. Sure. But Cleveland absolutely needs to rely on Chubb to potentially contend for a playoff berth in 2020.