In 2017 the Kansas City Chiefs draft Kareem Hunt with the 86th overall pick in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft out of Toledo. After Spencer Ware suffered a knee injury Hunt became the starter for the Chiefs before the season began. In his rookie season Kareem Hunt had one of the best stat lines for a rookie in the history of the NHL with 1,327 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while adding another 53 receptions for 455 yards and three touchdowns. Hunt won the NFL rushing crown and earned Pro Bowl honors as well as PFWA Rookie of the Year Honor and was a member of the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Through eleven games of the 2018 season Kareem Hunt looked like he was well on his way to another Pro Bowl and possibly another rushing title as he had 824 rushing yards for 7 touchdowns while adding another 26 receptions for 378 yards and 7 touchdowns. Then on Friday November 30th video broke of an altercation Hunt had with a woman at a hotel in February earlier in the year in which he forcibly beat her and then kicked her in the stomach after he had been separated from her which prompted the NFL to put him on the commissioner’s exempt list shortly after the video broke and later in the day the Kansas City Chiefs cut him from the roster leaving his future up in the air. Then on Monday, February 11th, the Cleveland Browns signed him to a one year contract for 1 million dollars. This article will examine what Kareem Hunt brings to the Cleveland Browns as well why Kareem Hunt fits perfectly with the Cleveland Browns.
Why the Browns Signed Hunt
When Kareem Hunt was drafted for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017 John Dorsey was the General Manager of the Chiefs and Jim Dorsey is now the general manager for the Cleveland Browns. Dorsey is obviously familiar with Hunt and feels that he will add something to the Cleveland Browns offense even though they have a very capable running back already in Nick Chubb who had a good rookie season in his own right last season rushing for 996 yards for eight touchdowns while adding another 20 receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Dorsey obviously feels Hunt can add something to the offense and with a one year contract for just over the veteran minimum the deal made since for Dorsey and the Browns. What does Hunt add to the Browns offense? Let’s examine that next.
Hunt’s Addition to the Browns Offense
The main thing Hunt does is add quality depth to the running game for the Browns. I look for the Browns to have more of a committee approach to the backfield with Hunt also being the 3rd down back as he is a better receiver out of the backfield than Chubb. This signing also gives the Browns a devastating one two punch at the running back position. However, unlike in Andy Reid’s system where he usually one running back Hunt will not be the only back for the Browns and it will likely be close to a 50/50 split between Hunt and Chubb, so neither will likely post monster stats next season.
In conclusion, the Browns made a smart decision signing Kareem Hunt as they already have a good offense that is young and developing with Chubb and Mayfield entering the second seasons next year Hunt will only be entering his third season as well. Kareem Hunt will be suspended at some point in the offseason. Based off of the history of suspensions for domestic violence Hunt will likely be facing a four game suspension, so he will miss the first four games of the year after that I look for Hunt to add to what should be an explosive offense on an improving team in Cleveland.
