After reaching the Pro Bowl in his rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017, running back Kareem Hunt ran into serious legal troubles, where he’d later receive an eight-game suspension for violating the NFL”s personal conduct policy due to physically abusing a woman in a hotel altercation.
But the Cleveland Browns were willing to give Hunt a lifeline, where he’d make 49 appearances from 2019 to 2022 before entering unrestricted free agency earlier this offseason. Hunt reportedly wanted a change of scenery during the season, where he’d seek a pay raise in addition to a contract extension plus a starting role, but obviously, a trade did not come to fruition.
Now that Hunt has remained unsigned for over a month with the free agency running back market slowing to a crawl, some are curious about the lack of interest in the capable veteran.
Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto provides some insight, suggesting Hunt won’t be returning to the Browns for a fifth season, with the team reportedly believing the 27-year-old tailback’s speed is “slipping.”
Despite receiving 58 more touches in 2022, Hunt produced a career-low 4.3 yards per touch, including averaging just 3.8 yards per carry. While the Browns still have Nick Chubb as the lead dog, backup Jerome Ford is now expected to take over Hunt’s duties when needed.
As for Hunt? Landing a starting role appears lost, as well as getting anything close to top dollar on the open market. Maybe he’s better off waiting until after the draft when teams make a last-ditch effort to fill in any remaining needs, but either way, Hunt’s free agency hasn’t gone according to plan.
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