Kareem Hunt - Pro Football Rumors

Baker Mayfield Not Expected To Miss Time

November 17th, 2021 at 1:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already battling a fractured shoulder, Baker Mayfield left Sunday’s game in New England with a knee injury. The Browns are not likely to need another Case Keenum fill-in start, however.

Neither Mayfield nor Kevin Stefanski expect a second missed start, though the fourth-year quarterback said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, on Twitter) this is probably the most beat up he has been in his football career. Mayfield is not practicing Wednesday.

Mayfield escaped his latest injury without structural damage, suffering a knee contusion in the Browns’ loss to the Patriots. Mayfield’s shoulder issue did require one missed game, a narrow Week 7 win over the Broncos, but he has otherwise played through that issue — one that will almost certainly require offseason surgery. The Browns face the 0-8-1 Lions in Week 11.

As for Mayfield’s backfield, Nick Chubb remains on the Browns’ reserve/COVID-19 list. The Pro Bowl back is vaccinated and can return by submitting negative tests two days apart. Stefanski added Kareem Hunt will not return in Week 11, despite being eligible to do so. The fifth-year back has missed four games with his calf injury but is moving closer to returning. Demetric Felton also remains on Cleveland’s COVID list. The Browns activated running back John Kelly from their virus list.

The Browns have played without both Chubb and Hunt twice this season. D’Ernest Johnson was the last man standing in both games, and the ex-Alliance of American Football performer would start against the Lions if Chubb is not activated by Saturday afternoon. In his third Browns season, Johnson is averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

Browns Tried To Claim RB Royce Freeman

November 10th, 2021 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ahead of a key AFC matchup, the Browns have run into extensive trouble at running back. They attempted to aid a shorthanded group by putting in a waiver claim for Royce Freeman, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. But the Texans’ waiver priority prevented such a move.

In reuniting the Freeman-Phillip Lindsay tandem from Denver, Houston (1-8) stopped Cleveland (5-4) from bolstering a backfield missing not just its top two cogs but down backups as well. Going into Sunday’s game against the Patriots, the Browns have only D’Ernest Johnson on their active roster.

Nick Chubb tested positive for COVID-19 this week. So did fellow backs Demetric Felton and John Kelly. These three are part of a five-man Browns contingent on the team’s coronavirus list. Chubb is vaccinated, so he still has a chance to play Sunday. While he would need only to test negative twice in a two-day period, players who have tested positive during the week have almost unanimously not played in their respective team’s upcoming game.

Kareem Hunt remains on IR, and Kevin Stefanski said this will not be the week he returns from IR. Hunt could be down until December, per ESPN.com’s Kimberley Martin (on Twitter), adding the fifth-year running back likely will not be 100% again this season due to the knee and wrist injuries he was battling before the October calf issue sent him to IR. The Browns have not started Hunt’s 21-day IR-return clock.

The Browns now have Brian Hill and Dexter Williams on their practice squad. One of the two will be in line to serve as Johnson’s primary backup against New England. In Johnson’s lone other start, against the Broncos, he totaled 146 rushing yards on 22 carries.

As for Freeman, the Panthers gave him 21 totes this season before cutting him once Christian McCaffrey returned. Freeman has 77 rushing yards and no touchdowns; the former third-round pick has not scored a TD since 2019. Nevertheless, the Oregon alum has been a popular player on the wire. The Ravens and Raiders tried to claim Freeman in August, following his Broncos departure, and the Browns came up short during Freeman’s second waiver go-round.

Browns’ Kareem Hunt To Miss Time

October 18th, 2021 at 11:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are pretty banged up. Running back Kareem Hunt‘s calf injury is “pretty significant,” according to head coach Kevin Stefanski (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Meanwhile, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is also dealing with a calf strain. Both injuries generally require 4-6 weeks of recovery, leaving Cleveland short-handed on both sides of the ball.

Both players are likely to be placed on injured reserve, allowing the Browns to restock their roster. Per league rules, they can return in as little as three weeks, but it sounds like they’ll be shelved until late November or early December.

The Browns were already hurting in the backfield, thanks to Nick Chubb‘s calf injury. They’re down to just two RBs now — D’Ernest Johnson and sixth-round rookie Demetric Felton.

Hunt saw a much larger role in 2020, his second Browns season. He totaled 1,145 yards from scrimmage and eleven scores, plus three touchdowns in two playoff games. Hunt remains under contract through the 2022 season while Chubb is signed through 2024 thanks to his three-year, $36.6MM extension.

Through six games, Chubb has 361 rushing yards off of 69 carries, good for an average of 5.2 yards per tote. He’s also registered 20 grabs for 161 yards — roughly half of last year’s receiving totals.

Browns Will Not Trade Kareem Hunt

July 25th, 2021 at 12:00pm CST by Rory Parks

The Browns are once again a popular pick to make a deep postseason run, and their talent at running back is one of many reasons why. The depth chart is topped by Nick Chubb, who has earned two Pro Bowl nods in three professional seasons and whose 5.2 YPC average underscores his excellence. Behind Chubb, of course, is Kareem Hunt, a similarly capable runner who is also a force in the passing game.

When the Rams lost Cam Akers to an Achilles tear last week, there was chatter that LA could look to the free agent or trade markets to replace him. While the Rams have indicated they are comfortable with their in-house options, Hunt would profile as an intriguing trade target for any RB-needy team given the Browns’ depth (Cleveland is also rostering third-year pro D’Ernest Johnson, who has played well in limited snaps, and sixth-round rookie Demetric Felton).

Hunt’s trade appeal is heightened by the fact that he is tied to eminently reasonable base salaries of $1.3MM and $1.35MM over the next two seasons. However, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (subscription required) writes that the Browns have no interest in trading Hunt.

As Cabot observes, the Browns did not suffer much of a drop-off at all when Hunt replaced an injured Chubb for a few games in 2020, and she expects the club to continue to expand Hunt’s role. Thanks to Hunt’s receiving prowess, he and Chubb could appear on the field together a great deal this season, which will only make a potentially explosive offense even more dynamic. So regardless of whatever injuries or underperformance rival clubs might experience this summer, Hunt will not be made available.

In other Browns news, Cabot reports that no players will open training camp on the PUP list. Players like Odell Beckham, Grant Delpit, and Greedy Williams are all coming off major injuries, but they will be ready to hit the field with their teammates right away (though the Browns will continue to be cautious, of course).

This Date In Transactions History: Browns Sign Kareem Hunt

February 11th, 2021 at 9:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Two years ago today, the Browns made a controversial move that has (so far) paid off for the organization. On February 11, 2019, Cleveland announced that the signing of running back Kareem Hunt.

From an on-the-field perspective, the move made plenty of sense. Hunt ran for 1,327 yards as a rookie in 2017, and he followed that up with a 14-touchdown season in 2018 despite playing in only 11 games. The talent was (and still is) undeniable. Hunt also had a relationship with former Browns GM John Dorsey that dated back to their stints in Kansas City.

From an off-the-field perspective, the move was divisive. At the time of the signing, Hunt was under investigation for three separate 2018 events — most notably an incident captured on video that showed him shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland complex. Hunt was released by the Chiefs following the release of the video. That transaction took place before the NFL could react, and following his signing with Cleveland, Hunt was promptly placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt list.

The literal signing also proved to be a topic of contention. Hunt inked a one-year deal that could be worth up to $1MM. This was an increase from the $678K he was set to make with Kansas City in 2019. While a subsequent suspension would reduce any salary, Hunt still took home more money than if he had been retained by his former team.

Hunt was ultimately banned for the first eight games of the 2019 season, and he was reinstated by the league in early November. He naturally slid in as a backup behind Nick Chubb, who would soon complete a Pro Bowl season that saw him rush for 1,494 yards and eight touchdowns. Hunt ultimately appeared in eight games (three starts) for the Browns in 2019, collecting 464 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.

The running back was slapped with a second-round tender after the season, and he ended up getting a two-year, $13.25MM extension from the organization this past September. Hunt saw a much larger role during his second season in Cleveland, compiling 1,145 yards from scrimmage and 11 scores. Hunt also saw time in two playoff games, collecting three total touchdowns. The running back remains under contract through the 2022 season, which is especially relevant considering Chubb’s impending free agency after next season. While the two-headed monster should return in 2021, Cleveland’s backfield could look a whole lot different in 2022.

Hunt’s past continues to make him a controversial figure, and both the player and the Browns will have a tough time shaking this notion as long as Hunt’s in Cleveland. Still, when coupling the player’s production with the future flexibility he’ll provide, there’s no doubting that the move has worked out for Cleveland.

AFC North Notes: Bullock, Hunt, Browns

September 16th, 2020 at 6:31pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals claimed K Austin Seibert off waivers from the Browns, and when that happened, most assumed that incumbent Randy Bullock would be placed on IR, or perhaps even released. However, head coach Zac Taylor said he expects Bullock to stay right where he is. “Randy’s our kicker,” Taylor said. (Twitter link via Ben Baby of ESPN.com).

Cincinnati suffered a difficult Week 1 loss against the Chargers, and Bullock shanked a 31-yard field goal try that would have sent the game to overtime. He also appeared to injure his left calf on the kick — though some are skeptical — but Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that the injury isn’t serious (Twitter link). In fairness to Bullock, he did make a 50-yarder and a 43-yarder earlier in the game, and he converted his only PAT.

The Bengals take on Seibert’s former employer in a divisional battle tomorrow night.

Now for more from the AFC North:

The Browns recently handed running back Kareem Hunt a two-year extension, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has a few details. As previously reported, the new money can max out at $13.25MM, and Hunt will take home base salaries of $4MM, $1.3MM, and $1.35MM over the next three seasons. The remaining money will come via roster bonuses designed to make sure that Hunt keeps himself out of trouble. One is tied to his making it to training camp without incident, one is tied to his making it to Week 1 without incident, and one is tied to his making it to the end of the season without incident. He will also receive weekly 53-man roster bonuses.
In the same piece linked above, Cabot reports that the Browns were indeed the team that would have been involved in a Jadeveon Clowney sign-and-trade with the Saints. In the proposed deal, which the NFL nixed, Cleveland would have signed Clowney to a one-year, $15MM contract, including a $5MM signing bonus. The team would have then shipped Clowney to New Orleans in exchange for a second-round pick and a player.
Cabot further notes that the Browns should be getting CB Greedy Williams back soon. Williams missed the team’s Week 1 loss to the Ravens with a shoulder injury but is not expected to land on IR.
The Steelers placed right tackle Zach Banner on IR yesterday.

Browns To Sign Kareem Hunt To Extension

September 8th, 2020 at 12:49pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have reached agreement with Kareem Hunt on a two-year, $13.25MM extension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The new deal will keep the running back under contract through the 2022 season.

The Browns gave Hunt a second NFL chance in 2018, despite disturbing video of him striking a woman at a Cleveland hotel. In that same year, he also got into a physical altercation with a man in Ohio. Many criticized the Browns for their decision to claim Hunt, but he has delivered for them on the field. With a 4.2 yards-per-carry average in Cleveland, Hunt has shown the talent that made him a national star in Kansas City.

Hunt was previously slated to be a free agent after earning $3.26MM in base pay this year. In the early stages of the pandemic, an pre-season extension seemed unlikely to go down. However, the two sides were able to come to terms on a number that satisfied the 25-year-old and didn’t break the bank for the Browns.

Hunt’s ~$6.5MM/year new money average roughly ties him with Chargers tailback Austin Ekeler towards the back of the Top 10 for RBs. Both players will be nudged down the list once Alvin Kamara finalizes his megadeal with the Saints.

Browns’ Kareem Hunt Hoping For Extension

June 22nd, 2020 at 2:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns running back Kareem Hunt feels “lucky” and “blessed” to have the chance to play for the Browns, despite his off-the-field history. At the same time, he’d like to receive an extension from the team (via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer).

“No question,‘’ Hunt said. “I’d definitely like to be a part of something like this. Everybody is here that I care about. I know everybody in the whole town. I would not mind playing for the Browns for a long time.”

The Browns gave Hunt a second NFL chance in 2018, despite disturbing video of him striking a woman at a Cleveland hotel. In that same year, he also got into a physical altercation with a man in Ohio. On the field, he delivered a 4.2 yards-per-carry average. Off the field, this past January, he was cited for marijuana possession.

The new regime in Cleveland opted to stick with him, though they let him know that he has to do better.

“Just pretty much [they’ve said] ‘I can’t have that. It’s not acceptable,‘’’ Hunt said. “I’ve got to be smarter and cannot be doing stuff like that. We had a good talk. They see me on the field as a guy who is going to make some plays this year and help the team win. That’s what I have been looking forward to. We have been talking. I keep in touch with coach all the time about what he wants to see and stuff like that.”

Hunt is slated to be a free agent after earning $3.26MM in base pay this year. The Browns probably aren’t in a rush to commit additional dollars and years to him.

Browns’ Kareem Hunt Signs Tender

April 17th, 2020 at 5:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns running back Kareem Hunt has signed his second-round tender, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With that, Hunt will earn $3.27MM on the year.

The Browns took a gamble on Hunt in 2018, despite his troubled history in Kansas City. The Chiefs cut the running back after a surveillance video showed him striking a woman at a Cleveland hotel. In that same year, he also got into a physical altercation with a man in Ohio. Hunt promised the Browns that he would work hard on the field and clean up his act off of the field. On the field, he held up his end of the bargain with a 4.2 yards per carry average. Off the field, this past January, he was cited for marijuana possession, though those charges were dropped in March.

Despite the citation, the Browns tendered Hunt at the second-round level this offseason. He’s now set to resume his role as a complementary back to starter Nick Chubb in 2020.

Hunt, a 2017 third-round pick, began his NFL career with a league-leading 1,327 rushing yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. He continued that production up until his KC release in 2018 with 14 all-purpose TDs through eleven games.

Browns Tender Kareem Hunt, Release Morgan Burnett

March 16th, 2020 at 10:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent Kareem Hunt and released safety Morgan Burnett, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Both moves were expected, though the tender level for Hunt was in question.

The second-round tender will cost roughly $3.3MM for 2020. If Hunt is signed to an offer sheet and the Browns decline to match, they would receive a second-round pick from the team signing him.

Hunt, of course, has been the subject of serious controversy in recent years. In 2018, the Chiefs cut Hunt after a surveillance video showed him striking a woman at a hotel in Cleveland. In that same year, he also got into a physical altercation with a man in Ohio. The Browns picked him up and Hunt vowed to make wholesale changes to his life. In January, police say Hunt was in possession of marijuana when they pulled him over for a traffic stop.

Since then, new Browns GM Andrew Berry has indicated that Hunt would be retained. On the field, he averaged nearly 60 yards from scrimmage per game and posted a 4.2 yards per carry mark.

Burnett, meanwhile, has been plagued by injuries over the last two seasons. The Browns released him with a failed-physical designation, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. An Achilles tear brought his 2019 season to an early end and the Browns, in turn, have terminated the second half of his two-year, $7.5MM deal. By shedding his deal, the Browns will save $3.375MM while carrying a dead money hit of $1.325MM.