The Dallas Cowboys have been linked to a potential trade for Cleveland Browns star running back Nick Chubb. While Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hasn’t acknowledged the need for help at running back, many fans would be thrilled to see Chubb in Dallas.
With the NFL trade deadline approaching on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe proposed a deal in which the Cowboys send a 2025 third-round and sixth-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Chubb. According to The Athletic, this trade would boost Dallas’ playoff odds by 3%, from 23% to 26%. Though it’s not a game-changing move, it could help improve the team’s roster.
“The Cowboys are last in rushing yards, touchdowns, and yards per attempt,” Howe wrote in his October 23, 2024, piece titled, “Six NFL trades we’d like to see: Maxx Crosby to Lions, Nick Chubb to Cowboys.” “Why? Because they’re 30th in attempts. They don’t have the personnel, and Mike McCarthy hasn’t shown much commitment to the ground game.
“Being completely out of balance has caused three of their games to spiral early. Chubb has the star power that team owner Jerry Jones likes. Although Chubb is returning from a serious knee injury, the potential reward is huge if he finishes the season as a top-10 back.”
Would the Cowboys consider trading for Nick Chubb?
Acquiring Chubb would signal that Dallas isn’t giving up on this season. The Cowboys were quiet during the offseason and passed on drafting a running back in 2024.
However, Dallas would need to weigh a few concerns before making the trade. Chubb is a free agent in 2025 and carries a $6.2 million cap hit for 2024. He missed the start of the season due to his second reconstructive knee surgery and has only appeared in three games over the past two seasons.
In his first game of 2024, Chubb logged 11 carries for 22 yards and a touchdown in Week 8. Trading for a player who is recovering from a serious injury and heading toward free agency could be a gamble for the Cowboys.
Despite recent setbacks, Chubb has an impressive resume, including four Pro Bowl appearances and four straight seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards before injuries derailed his last two years.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently had a heated exchange when questioned about the team’s roster decisions. He has repeatedly suggested that Dallas does not plan to make a significant mid-season move, with Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott expected to carry the load. Dalvin Cook has also been mentioned as a potential option. During a bye week interview with 105.3 The Fan’s “Shan and RJ,” Jones became defensive when asked about the roster.
“This is not your job. Your job isn’t to let me go over all the reasons that I did something and I’m sorry that I did it,” Jones said on October 15. “That’s not your job.
“I’ll get somebody else to ask these questions. I’m not kidding. You’re not going to figure out what the team is doing right or wrong.”
