Kareem Hunt

Browns, Kareem Hunt Agree To Terms

September 20th, 2023 at 9:52am CST by Sam Robinson

9:52am: A deal is in place, Cabot reports. The Browns are bringing Hunt back on a one-year contract worth up to $4MM, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Hunt, who spent the past four seasons with his hometown team, will be asked to help fill the void Chubb’s injury has created.

9:12am: Kareem Hunt‘s six-month stay in free agency may be winding down. Nick Chubb‘s gruesome injury led to the Browns surveying options, and after they brought their former 1-B back in for a visit, a deal appears close.

The Browns and Hunt are moving toward an agreement, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. A deal is expected to come together today. This would take one of the highest-profile free agents off the market and give the Browns an accomplished back who has extensive experience in Kevin Stefanski‘s system. The parties have not crossed the goal line on this deal yet, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates it should be done by the Browns’ Wednesday practice.

Cleveland has looked into Cam Akers, who looks to again be on the outs in Los Angeles, and Trey Sermon. But the latter signed with Indianapolis’ practice squad Tuesday. Hunt, 28, has always represented the simplest solution. The Browns gave the former Chiefs draftee a second chance via a 2019 agreement, after Hunt was caught on video assaulting a woman at a Cleveland hotel in 2018, and used him frequently as an overqualified Chubb backup. Hunt signed a two-year, $12MM extension in 2020 and played a key role in the Browns ended a near-two-decade playoff drought that season.

Of course, Hunt’s past two seasons have not gone as planned. Multiple injuries slowed him in 2021, an eight-game season for the former rushing champion, and he did not re-establish quality form last year. Hunt averaged 3.8 yards per carry — by far a career-low mark — and ranked miles behind Chubb in Next Gen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric, with the starter at an NFL-best 284 and backup at minus-10. The Browns still prioritized Hunt at multiple junctures last year, refusing to accommodate a summer trade request and then hanging onto him at the deadline. But the team was prepared to move on this offseason, building its backfield around Chubb and 2022 fifth-round pick Jerome Ford.

With Cleveland previously intending to let Hunt walk, the six-year veteran lingered in free agency and was not closely tied to any team until training camp. But Hunt has been busy over the past several weeks. He has visited the Vikings, Saints and Colts. Late last week, the Colts were still in discussions with the former Chiefs third-rounder. But it appears the Browns are willing to offer a better deal in this emergency circumstance. The team did not make Hunt an offer this offseason, per Cabot, who adds Hunt is down around 10 pounds from his 2022 playing weight. The Browns are hoping Hunt’s weight loss helps him excel in the passing-down role he held for years.

Chubb came into 2023 having never missed more than four games in an NFL season, but the perennial Pro Bowler is believed to have suffered multiple ligament tears early in the Browns’ Week 2 loss in Pittsburgh. Multiple surgeries may be necessary, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets, potentially clouding Chubb’s comeback attempt. Internal discussions have pointed to a surgery occurring before month’s end and another to take place weeks later, per Anderson, who adds Chubb is also believed to have sustained meniscus damage. This marks the second time Chubb sustained a major left knee injury. The 27-year-old star battled back after suffering multiple ligament tears while at Georgia in 2015.

The Browns, who have Chubb signed through 2024, turned to Ford as his primary replacement. Buoyed by a 69-yard run in the second half of the narrow defeat, Ford totaled 16 carries for 106 yards Monday night. While the Browns had a bigger role in mind for the ex-Cincinnati and Alabama performer this season, he played behind Chubb and Hunt as a rookie and finished Week 1 with 36 yards on 15 carries.

A Ford-Hunt backfield setup will provide some insurance for the Browns, and with Stefanski’s seat warming, it is unsurprising the team did not want to rely solely on a “next man up” process. Hunt expressed dissatisfaction with his contract last year, but his 2022 showing and the events of this offseason at the position did not give him much leverage. It appears the Willoughby, Ohio, native will end up back in Cleveland on a lower-cost deal soon.

Browns Hosting Kareem Hunt On Visit; Cam Akers On Radar

September 19th, 2023 at 3:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:25pm: This process is moving fast. The Browns are hosting Hunt on a Tuesday visit, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This marks Hunt’s fourth known visit this offseason. He met with the Vikings, Saints and Colts. As of this past weekend, Indianapolis still had the six-year veteran on its radar.

2:52pm: Nick Chubb‘s gruesome injury has forced the Browns to look for a running back addition. The team is in the Cam Akers trade market, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot reports Kareem Hunt is also back on the radar.

In April, a report emerged indicating the Browns were not planning to bring back Hunt, who played out a two-year, $12MM extension with his hometown team last season. But Hunt has remained a free agent for the past six months. Having visited the Colts, Saints and Vikings, the former rushing champion looms as a natural fit for the Browns, seeing as he spent the past three seasons in Kevin Stefanski‘s system.

At 24, Akers is four years younger than Hunt, who turned 28 last month. The Cleveland-area native came up in trade talks before last year’s deadline, but after Hunt completed a down season, the running back market cratered. No substantial offers have likely come Hunt’s way, leading to the longtime Chubb complementary piece remaining unattached. An interesting opportunity could soon await, though it might depend on what the Rams are willing to accept for Akers. Hunt has logged 1,106 career touches; Akers’ NFL odometer sits at 387.

At least four teams are believed to have discussed Akers with the Rams. The former second-round pick is again on the trade block, becoming a healthy scratch in Week 2. While the Rams and Akers mended fences after last year’s dustup — one that led to trade talks ahead of the 2022 deadline — Sean McVay confirmed a trade represents this latest saga’s likely endpoint.

As Chubb led the NFL in Next Gen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric last season, with 284, Hunt finished with minus-10. Hunt gained only 678 scrimmage yards in 17 games. The 2017 rushing champ had requested a trade during the 2022 offseason, and after the Browns refused to accommodate him at that point, they were open to an in-season move. A fourth-round pick emerged as a Cleveland ask, but the team ended up hanging onto Hunt during Deshaun Watson‘s suspension. A host of lower-profile backs found deals in March, and Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott wound up with teams during training camp. Hunt and Leonard Fournette, however, have been unattached for more than six months.

Calf and ankle injuries limited Hunt in 2021; he amassed just 560 scrimmage yards that year. The ex-Chief played a major role in the Browns snapping their near-two-decade playoff drought in 2020, producing 1,145 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns alongside Chubb. During the Chubb-Hunt partnership, the latter played a much bigger passing-game role. Akers has not done much as a receiver during his pro career.

Hunt complementing 2022 fifth-rounder Jerome Ford in a similar capacity makes sense for the Browns, who did acquire Pierre Strong from the Patriots in August. Ford played the lead role following Chubb’s season-ending injury Monday night.

Going through an up-and-down career with the Rams, Akers did close the 2022 season well after seeing a July 2021 Achilles tear sidetrack him. Akers produced three straight 100-yard games from Weeks 16-18 but has seen 2022 fifth-rounder Kyren Williams usurp him in L.A.’s backfield. Akers rushed for just 29 yards on 22 carries in Week 1, with most of those totes coming after the Rams had put the Seahawks matchup out of reach.

Hunt arrived back in Cleveland during John Dorsey‘s GM stretch, reuniting with the exec who drafted him with the Chiefs. But Hunt signed the above-referenced extension during Andrew Berry‘s first year at the helm. With this looming as a crucial year for Stefanski (and perhaps Berry as well), it is logical the Browns are looking for a veteran to team with Ford, who totaled just eight carries for 12 yards last season. Trey Sermon also landed on the Browns’ radar, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but the ex-49ers and Eagles back signed with the Colts’ P-squad.

Colts In Communication With RBs Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette

September 15th, 2023 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

With their Jonathan Taylor-less backfield still in flux due to injuries, the Colts remain interested in a free agent addition at the running back spot. As a result, they are in talks with two of the top options still available.

Indianapolis has communicated with both Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The former met with the Colts last month as part of his late-offseason free agent tour, though no deal materialized. Hunt also drew interest from the Saints and Vikings, but they too elected not to sign him in advance of the regular season.

The former Chief and Brown was reported to have received four offers around the time of final roster cuts, but he has remained patient on the open market. Hunt would have a path to immediate playing time with the Colts for the time being, giving the absence of Taylor until at least Week 5. That is the earliest point at which the 2021 rushing champion can suit up in Indianapolis, though a trade sending him elsewhere is still in the cards. A lead role will be unlikely for Hunt in 2023, however, barring further injury developments around the league.

The same holds true for Fournette, whose release request was granted by the Buccaneers in February. The 28-year-old lost his starting role to Rachaad White in the 2022 campaign, and in the wake of Tom Brady‘s retirement, he favored a fresh start. Not much in the way of interest was shown in him through the offseason, however, with the Patriots hosting him on a workout but coming away unimpressed with his conditioning. It will be interesting to see if the Colts’ interest rises to the point of bringing him in for a free agent visit in the near future.

Indianapolis lost another member of its backfield in Week 1 with Evan Hull suffering a knee injury. He is now on IR and will thus miss at least the next four weeks of the season. The fifth-round rookie’s absence adds to Taylor’s stay on the PUP list, and questions remain regarding when Zack Moss will be able to suit up after recovering from a broken arm. The Colts worked out Darrell Henderson earlier this week, so Hunt and Fournette will have competition for a roster spot if they match the team’s interest in a potential deal. In any case, a move at the RB spot could be coming soon in Indianapolis.

Latest On RB Kareem Hunt

August 30th, 2023 at 5:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

Teams around the NFL are currently occupied with roster gymnastics, but a few big-name free agents have still yet to land a deal of any kind over the course of the offseason. One of those is running back Kareem Hunt, who continues to draw interest.

Four teams have made an offer to the 28-year-old recently, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. None have been sufficient to produce an agreement, though, despite the actions of teams like the Saints, Colts and Vikings. Each of those clubs hosted Hunt on a free agent visit, and New Orleans in particular was reported to be prepared to sign him pending the result of a physical.

Instead, the former rushing champion remains unsigned like a number of veteran backs. The position has seen its financial value take another hit this offseason, and it comes as little surprise that Hunt needed to wait deep into free agency for tangible interest to pick up. He spent the past four years in Cleveland, splitting handoffs with Nick Chubb and operating as an effective pass-catcher. Hunt averaged 4.2 yards per carry with the Browns, totaling 973 yards and seven touchdowns on 132 catches during his tenure with the team.

It can likely be presumed that New Orleans, Indianapolis and Minnesota represent three of the four offers Hunt has weighed but ultimately turned down. Even without Alvin Kamara for the first three games of the season, the Saints have a number of options in their backfield, one which will be crowded after the five-time Pro Bowler’s return. The Colts still have Jonathan Taylor in the fold after a trade could not be worked out (though he will start the year on the PUP list). The Vikings, meanwhile, added pass-catcher Myles Gaskin earlier today to give them an experienced depth option behind starter Alexander Mattison.

Hunt still has time to find an opportunity which will yield a 53-man roster spot and notable playing time. He will need to move quickly, however, if he is to have a deal in place by the time the regular season kicks off. If the interest which has existed in recent weeks continues, an agreement could be coming soon.

Vikings Host RB Kareem Hunt

August 11th, 2023 at 10:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Kareem Hunt‘s free agency tour continues. After visiting with the Saints and Colts earlier this week, the running back is meeting with the Vikings today, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).

It was relatively quiet on the Hunt front until earlier this week, when the veteran running back was in New Orleans and Indianapolis for visits. He left both of those workouts with contracts, but it’s now clear Hunt is weighing multiple opportunities before making a decision.

Hunt found a home in Cleveland over the past four seasons, including a 2020 campaign where he finished with 1,145 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. His 2022 campaign started with a trade request and ended with him averaging a career-low 9.3 touches per game in 17 games for Cleveland, and he’s remain unsigned through this point of the offseason.

Similar to both the Saints and Colts, the Vikings could offer Hunt a somewhat significant role on offense. Alexander Mattison is expected to take over for Dalvin Cook in the backfield, but the team lacks experienced depth behind their new starter. Ty Chandler got into three games as a rookie, Kene Nwangwu has been injured during training camp, and rookie seventh-round pick DeWayne McBride is likely destined for a ST role.

Hunt’s pass-catching ability could make him a worthy third-down option, and he’s shown the ability to be productive in a starting role while filling in for Nick Chubb in Cleveland. The Vikings are currently armed with more than $10MM in cap space, providing them with some financial might over Hunt’s other two suitors. The Saints reportedly backloaded their offer to Hunt with incentives while keeping the total amount roughly on par with what the Colts are prepared to pay without bonuses.

Colts Sign Two Free Agents; RB Kareem Hunt Leaves Without Deal

August 9th, 2023 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

The Colts made a few transactions today including the signings of running back Jason Huntley and tight end Ricky Seals-Jones, according to the team’s Twitter account. While the added depth is surely appreciated, it is likely a bit disappointing for Colts fans following the free agency activity surrounding running back Kareem Hunt.

Shortly after leaving New Orleans without a new contract, Indianapolis becomes the second straight visit that doesn’t result in a deal for the veteran rusher, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Hunt reportedly had a “great” visit with the Saints before making his way up to Indiana. The two locations he’s visited recently have situations that could allow for some early playing time. The Saints will be down a running back as Alvin Kamara serves a three-game suspension to start the year due to his role in a violent altercation a year and a half ago. New Orleans does still have a strong rusher at the top of the depth chart after signing Jamaal Williams this offseason, but the depth behind Williams is fairly inexperienced.

The Colts, on the other hand, may be getting a little desperate. Jonathan Taylor took his holdout to another level yesterday, leaving camp to rehabilitate his ankle injury. As backups Zack Moss and Deon Jackson are dealing with their own injuries, the Colts are currently relying only on recent signee Kenyan Drake and a trio of inexperienced options.

Hunt reportedly fielded offers from both teams with guaranteed money proving to be the main difference. While offering around the same amount that the Colts are expected to pay, the Saints’ deal includes more incentives that will make Hunt earn the money without guarantees.

Huntley and Seals-Jones appear to be depth signings to help Indianapolis make it through the preseason healthy. Huntley has only appeared in six games over his first three NFL seasons after getting drafted in the fifth round by the Eagles. He only has 18 rushes for 70 yards in his young career.

Seals-Jones likely has a better chance to push for a roster spot in 2023. Mo Alie-Cox and Jelani Woods are both dealing with injuries heading into the preseason, and Seals-Jones has some solid experience. Appearing in games for four teams over his five years in the league, Seals-Jones has seen spurts of success throughout his career. The converted college wide receiver saw career-highs in 2018 in receptions (34) and receiving yards (343) and caught four touchdowns the following year. Only two seasons ago, he started six games in Washington. He missed all of last season while dealing with a toe injury but could bring some quality starting experience for the Colts if healthy.

In order to make room on the roster for Huntley and Seals-Jones, the Colts waived/injured tight end La’Michael Pettway and safety Michael Tutsie.

Colts To Meet With RB Kareem Hunt

August 9th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 9: Adding further to Russini’s report, Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com tweets that guaranteed money represented the difference in New Orleans’ and Indianapolis’ offers. The Saints backloaded their proposal with incentives, while keeping the total amount roughly on par with what the Colts are prepared to pay. With more money (and, potentially, playing time) available up front, it comes as little surprise that Hunt will at least consider a deal in Indianapolis.

AUGUST 8: Kareem Hunt‘s late-summer free agency tour will include a stop in Indianapolis. The Colts are set to meet with the former rushing champion Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Although Hunt enjoyed a “great” Saints visit, he will make a trip to meet with a team that features a greater running back need. The Colts remain without Jonathan Taylor, have lost backup Zack Moss to a broken arm, and fellow reserve Deon Jackson is also dealing with an unspecified injury.

Just ahead of Hunt’s Saints workout, per ESPN’s Dianna Russini (on Twitter), the Colts contacted him with what is believed to be a better offer. It is unclear what Indianapolis is proposing, but the six-year veteran will meet with the team to determine a fit.

Indianapolis has already signed Kenyan Drake. Hunt would represent another veteran option for the suddenly RB-deficient outfit. While Hunt arrived as a Chiefs draft pick months after Chris Ballard had joined the Colts as GM, the latter was with Kansas City in the months leading up to the 2017 offseason.

Hunt, who turned 28 on Sunday, played out a two-year, $12MM Browns deal. The former Pro Bowler did not miss any games last season but did not enjoy a particularly productive campaign. This and the running back market’s myriad obstacles have impacted Hunt’s 2023 value. After teams expressed trade interest in the former third-round pick before last year’s deadline, Hunt now looms as an emergency depth option midway through training camp.

Operating again as Nick Chubb‘s backup, Hunt totaled just 678 scrimmage yards. He averaged a career-low 3.8 per carry. This came after the Cleveland-area native finished with a 4.9-yard average in 2021. Teams are determining how much tread Hunt has left on his tires. He has only logged 1,106 career touches — far less than fellow UFAs Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook — but he was less productive than either ex-NFCer in 2022.

The Colts have seen Jonathan Taylor request a trade and now leave camp for rehab purposes on a slow-healing ankle. Rumored to be using this ankle recovery as a hold-in excuse, Taylor has since left Colts camp to go through additional rehab more than six months after undergoing what was thought to be a minor surgery. The Colts will be without Moss until at least Week 1. While a Taylor trade is not expected, the Colts are digging into an insurance option.

A backfield housing Taylor, Hunt, Drake and Moss would seemingly be untenable for Indianapolis, which may factor into Hunt’s free agency decision — assuming he is weighing more than one offer. For now, however, the Colts are in need. At full strength, the Saints are also sporting a crowded RB corps. Alvin Kamara will be eligible to return in October, and the team signed Jamaal Williams and drafted Kendre Miller in Round 3.

No Saints Deals In Place For RB Kareem Hunt, LB Anthony Barr

August 8th, 2023 at 2:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

2:59pm: Not so fast. Both players departed their New Orleans visits without deals in place. The Saints remain interested in the nine-year vet, but Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets other teams have emerged as potential options as well. It is unclear which teams are in on Barr, who could still end up with the Saints. For now, however, no agreement has been reached. Ditto Hunt, who is set for a Colts visit Wednesday.

11:17am: One day after news of their workouts was learned, both Kareem Hunt and Anthony Barr are set to head to New Orleans. The Saints are expected to sign both veterans pending a physical, reports ESPN’s Dianna Russini (Twitter link).

Barr met with the Saints yesterday, while Hunt’s visit was scheduled for today. To little surprise, the interest shown by the team has quickly resulted in agreements being reached. Neither player had generated much of a market for their services during the offseason, but they will now have plenty of time to acclimate to their new team.

Especially to begin the year, New Orleans will be shorthanded in the backfield. Alvin Kamara was issued a three-game suspension for his involvement in a violent altercation in February 2022, which will leave the Saints without the five-time Pro Bowler. Eno Benjamin, meanwhile, will not be available at any point this campaign after he suffered an Achilles tear.

Hunt will look to serve in a similar capacity to his Browns tenure during his Saints stint. The 28-year-old operated as a consistent pass-catching back while Nick Chubb handled much of the team’s carries. Hunt still logged 442 carries in his 49 games in Cleveland, though, averaging 4.2 yards per rush in the process. If needed, he could handle a notable workload in his new home.

The Browns looked likely to move Hunt at the trade deadline, but he instead needed to wait until August to join a new team. In addition to Kamara, though, New Orleans boasts free agent signing Jamaal Williams and third-round rookie Kendre Miller in its new-look backfield. It will be interesting to watch how Hunt fits in during Kamara’s absence and how much of a role he is able to carve out upon the latter’s return.

Barr, meanwhile, is set to be on the move for the second time in as many years. His eight-year Vikings tenure ended last offseason, and the former first-rounder played in Dallas in 2022. Barr saw his playing time cut significantly compared to most of his Minnesota campaigns, and his lowered production helped keep him on the market deep into the summer.

The Saints have a number of options at the linebacker spot as is, with Demario Davis in place as an anchor of the team’s defense. 2021 second-rounder Pete Werner saw a sizeable jump in playing time last season, and he can be expected to remain a full-time starter moving forward. Recent draftees Zack Baun and D’Marco Jackson (the latter of whom missed his entire rookie season due to injury) are also in the mix for significant snaps. Barr will look to prove himself to be at least a quality rotational member of the unit.

The Saints entered today with just under $13MM in cap space, which should be enough to comfortably afford Hunt and Barr on what will no doubt be short-term, low-cost deals. Both players will add considerable experience to what is already one of the most veteran-laden teams in the league as the they aim to rebuild their free agent stock in a new setting.

Saints To Host RB Kareem Hunt, LB Anthony Barr

August 7th, 2023 at 8:41am CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of being shorthanded in the backfield, the Saints could soon be making a running back addition. Kareem Hunt is set to meet with New Orleans, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). His colleague Diana Russini tweets that veteran linebacker Anthony Barr will also work out with the team.

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports notes that the Hunt visit will take place on Tuesday (Twitter link). That summit could result in a deal for the recently-turned 28-year-old, who has remained one of the top backs on the open market throughout the offseason. New Orleans will be without Alvin Kamara for the first three weeks of the campaign due to suspension, and Eno Benjamin recently suffered an Achilles tear. As a result, a vacancy exists in the team’s backfield.

The Saints already have a veteran presence in the form of Jamaal Williams, along with third-round rookie Kendre Miller as fill-in options for Kamara while he is sidelined and depth when he returns. That would leave Hunt in a rotational role after Week 4 in particular if he were to sign in New Orleans, something he experienced during his time in Cleveland. Hunt saw a career-low 42% snap share last season while serving as Nick Chubb‘s pass-catching backup, and by the end of the season it was clear he would be heading elsewhere in free agency.

Hunt was mentioned in trade talk leading up to the deadline, but the Browns elected to retain him to close out his fourth season in Cleveland. The former Chiefs third-rounder has not received as much attention as the likes of Dalvin Cook or Ezekiel Elliott from potential suitors, but he has remained confident a deal will come to fruition. Hunt, like most remaining backs, is likely facing a low-cost deal which will allow him boost his market in a new environment.

Like many Vikings veterans this offseason, Barr saw a lengthy Minnesota tenure come to an end last year. The four-time Pro Bowler spent the 2022 campaign in Dallas, but the Cowboys made it clear in March that he would not be retained. Barr posted 58 tackles and one sack across 14 games last year, numbers which fall short of his production during his peak Vikings seasons.

Barr, 31, would provide experienced depth to a Saints’ linebacking corps which is set to once again be led by Demario Davis. The former only logged a 63% snap share in Dallas last season, by far the lowest of any of his healthy campaigns in the league. Like Hunt, he could be at least a rotational contributor with a veteran-laden team seeking to return to the postseason. Strong seasons from Hunt and Barr, should they join the Saints, could benefit both player and team on low-cost, short-term agreements.

Latest On Free Agent RB Kareem Hunt

June 22nd, 2023 at 9:21pm CST by Ben Levine

While Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott have commanded the headlines, there’s another former Pro Bowl running back who remains unsigned. With only weeks remaining until training camps open, Kareem Hunt is still a free agent. However, the veteran running back isn’t sweating his current status and expects to be on an NFL roster sooner than later.

Lae“I’m just being patient,” Hunt told Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald. “I’ve had some things come up. But right now, I’m enjoying my time with my family. I’m training and working hard and just staying ready.

“I’m not frustrated at all. It’s going to work itself out. Right now I’m just here to enjoy time with my family and show these kids a good time at this football camp. I know it’s all going to work out at the end of the day.”

Hunt found a home in Cleveland over the past four seasons, including a 2020 campaign where he finished with 1,145 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. The former third-round pick has continually served as the RB2 in Cleveland behind Nick Chubb, an arrangement that worked out for Hunt through his first three seasons with the organization. However, Hunt started to express displeasure about his role heading into his contract season, resulting in a public trade request. Hunt ended up sticking in Cleveland and saw a career-low 9.3 touches per game during the 2022 campaign.

The Browns haven’t done much to improve their RB corps this offseason, and with D’Ernest Johnson off to Jacksonville, former fifth-round pick Jerome Ford is set to be the top backup behind Chubb. While Hunt wasn’t particularly happy with his role in 2022, he didn’t completely shut the door on a return to Cleveland.

“The Browns are always going to be a team I have mad love for, but I’m not really talking about that stuff,” Hunt said. “I’m enjoying my time at this football camp and focused on my body and my mind. I’m in God’s hands and just looking forward to the next opportunity. It’ll be coming up soon, I’m pretty sure.”

Heading into what should be his age-28 season, Hunt will likely find a landing spot once injuries hit and teams get a longer look at their running back depth.

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