The final hurdle to Nick Chubb's return has been cleared. All that's left is for the Browns running back to run on the field Sunday afternoon against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Browns officially activated Chubb and safety Juan Thornhill on Saturday afternoon. Chubb had been on the active/physically unable to perform list since Aug. 27, while Thornhill had been on the active/injured reserve since Sept. 11 with a calf injury suffered in the opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

Among the other standard day-before moves, the Browns elevated wide receiver Jaelon Darden from the practice squad to the gameday roster. Darden adds another wide receiver to the roster after Cleveland traded Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday.

The Browns did not activate running back/return man Nyheim Hines (knee) from the active/non-football injury list, and downgraded him from questionable to out for Sunday's game. Hines must be activated by Wednesday, which would mark the end of the 21-day practice window, or he would remain on the list for the remainder of the season.

The highly-anticipated move, however, was Chubb being activated. That clears the way for the running back to play in his first game since his right knee injury in Week 2 of last season against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I feel like I've been feeling for a while now," Chubb said Wednesday. "I am ready to get out there with team, ready to do whatever I can. Feel good.”

The Browns officially listed Chubb as questionable on Friday's injury report. However, head coach Kevin Stefanski said that the running back is "expected to play" against Cincinnati.

Chubb last carry came with 14:44 remaining in the second quarter of the game against the Steelers on Sept. 18, 2023, which is when safety Minkah Fitzpatrick rolled into his leg. A gap of 398 days exist between then and Sunday, which included a pair of surgeries for him, as well as months of rehab.

“I think the first time I ever ran I knew I would be back," Chubb said. "It was just a monumental moment for me to actually run again. I knew at that moment that I come back to be who I was.”

The return of the Browns' heart and soul — as well as their fourth-leading rusher all-time — has been anticipated since the team opened his 21-day return to practice window on Oct. 2. The team never planned to activate him for either the game against the Washington Commanders or the Philadelphia Eagles, instead trying to make sure Chubb was where he needed to be physically to return.

The Browns rushing offense ranks 28th in the league at 97.2 yards per game. Their leading rusher this season, Jerome Ford, has 264 yards and a touchdown, but has been ruled out against Cincinnati due to a hamstring injury.

"I mean, man's been gone for over a year now," defensive end Myles Garrett said. "And there's not many people more loved in the history of Cleveland, more than Mr. Chubb, so I think it'll have a hell of an effect."

The build-up for Thornhill's return from a grade two calf strain may not have been nearly as emotion-driven or anticipated. However, it does give the Browns its three top safeties together, with Grant Delpit also returning from a concussion, in time to face one of the league's most explosive passing games in the Bengals.

Thornhill battled two separate calf injuries a year ago which ended up costing him 11 total games. He missed last year's opener against Cincinnati due to one, but it was a different injury sustained in Week 10 at the Baltimore Ravens that ended up costing him five of the last eight regular-season games.

“I mean, yeah, I feel like I was in a better place this time," Thornhill said Friday. "I talked about it last year how it was like tough on me mentally. It was pretty rough because I felt like I did everything correct this offseason, prepared, I felt like I was good, but then it's just a freakish accident and things happen. It’s football. … So last year was the soleus, this year the gastro (gastrocnemius). But I mean I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot right now.”

Thornhill had nine combined tackles in the opener against Dallas. That total included eight solo tackles, as well as a tackle for loss.

Michael Dunn, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah earn fines from NFL for plays against Eagles

Two Browns players picked up fines for actions against the Philadelphia Eagles. Neither player, however, was flagged for the play during the game.

Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah drew a $20,900 fine from the league for lowering his head while making a tackle on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts with 11:30 left in the second quarter. Center Michael Dunn was fined $7,181 for grabbing the facemask of Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis on a 6-yard D'Onta Foreman run with 13:48 remaining in the third quarter.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was fined $45,020 for using his helmet to lead on his 8-yard run with 4:50 left in the first quarter. Philadelphia's Isaiah Rodgers was fined $5,861 for using his helmet to lead on the opening kickoff.

(This story was updated with new information.)

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Nick Chubb activated from injury list, ready to return against Bengals