Rumors have swirled around a potential trade involving Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt but it doesn’t look like he’ll be sporting another jersey any time soon.
Hunt is entering the last year of his deal and wants a contract extension. He staged a brief hold-in during training camp to get it done, but with the Browns not budging, he requested a trade, although the team was quick to shoot that down and business proceeded as usual.
That being said, there are reasons to believe Hunt could still be on the move at some point. By trading him now, the Browns would get something in return for a player that will likely be gone after the season. The presence of D’Ernest Johnson and some quick progression from rookie running back Jerome Ford could have also shifted the Browns’ thinking on their depth chart.
However, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that the Browns have no intention of trading Hunt this season.
The Browns have no intention of trading Kareem Hunt per Mary Kay on @PatMcAfeeShow
“I think he’s going to be a Brown the whole year. They have no intentions of trading him. They do not want to do that,” Cabot said on The Pat McAfee Show on August 24. “They believe he can help this team win football games. He’s so good in the run, so good in the passing game. Especially with Deshaun out the first 11 games of the season, they’ll have to rely on that running game.”
Nick Chubb Petitioned to Keep Hunt in Cleveland
Hunt is in the final year of a two-year extension he signed with the team in 2020. It will pay him $6.25 million if he plays all 17 games.
However, he’s dealt with injuries during his time with the Browns, most notably last season with calf and ankle issues, which limited him to eight games. He notched 386 yards and five touchdowns, adding 22 receptions for 174 yards.
But when healthy, Hunt and Chubb form one of the best tandems in the league, which is a partnership Chubb wants to keep rolling for years to come.
“He’s my best friend, on and off the field. He’s a great person to be around,” Chubb said during an appearance on NFL Network in early August after Hunt’s trade demand. “I couldn’t imagine playing without him. I want him to be here, whatever they got to do to keep him here. I want to play with Kareem.”
Eagles Not Look at Trade for Kareem Hunt
Some momentum built last week around the Philadelphia Eagles being interested in trading for Hunt after some joint practices.
Hunt would likely garner a larger role in Philly than he would in Cleveland and the Browns might be able to fetch some wide receiver talent in return with someone like Jalen Reagor.
There’s also the fact that Browns general manager Andrew Berry worked for Eagles GM Howie Roseman prior to getting the gig in Cleveland. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said the Eagles are not looking into get Kareem Hunt during a spot on 97.5 The Fanatic (h/t NBC Sports Philadelphia).
“I haven’t heard that they’re knocking on doors to go and try to get Kareem Hunt in Cleveland, for example,” Schefter said. “I wouldn’t see the Eagles as a team that would be interested in him, despite the fact that he has expressed his desire to move on from Cleveland.”
The Browns open up their season on September 11 against the Panthers.
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Browns Make Final Call on Trading Disgruntled RB Kareem Hunt