Getty General manager Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns looks on before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in October 2021.
The NFL trade deadline is looming and the Cleveland Browns appear now to be firmly in the sellers’ camp.
A handful of narrow defeats have buried the Browns beneath a 2-5 win/loss record, which has facilitated the team’s interest in punting on former rushing champ Kareem Hunt. Cleveland refused the running back’s trade request prior to the start of the season with intentions of relying on Hunt and starter Nick Chubb to carry the offense through the first 11 games of the season behind backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
But now, as some of the best teams in the league search for running back help, the smart play looks to be the long game. Hunt is arguably the most talented rusher on the trade block, which puts the Browns in an advantageous position to capitalize off a Super Bowl contender this season so as to aid their own championship aspirations in 2023.
Perhaps the best candidate in this regard is the team Cleveland will face three weeks from now — the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills.
Hunt Could Put Bills, Eagles Over the Top in Super Bowl Chase
GettyRB Kareem Hunt of the Cleveland Browns celebrates a first down during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Cory Kinnan of Browns Wire on Monday, October 24, created a list of the Browns’ four best potential trade partners for Hunt — the Bills among them.
The running game of the Buffalo Bills has been horrific over the past few seasons and could be actively holding them back from reaching the promised land. While they drafted James Cook out of Georgia this season, [neither] him, Zack Moss, nor Devin Singletary have proven capable of demanding touches on the ground.
Hunt is a back who demands touches.
This Bills team might be the best in the NFL, and they may just do whatever it takes to get them over the hump they have failed to leap over the past two seasons. Sure, it is a risk to trade for an expiring contract, but what does a half-season rental mean to a team if it [helps] them finally win a Super Bowl?
Kinnan also mentioned the NFC-leading Philadelphia Eagles among his list of trade partners for Hunt, adding the running back as a supplement to an already exceptional rushing attack led by starter Miles Sanders and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Also included on the list were the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams and the New York Jets, though the latter probably no longer belongs there after trading with the Jacksonville Jaguars for running back James Robinson on Monday.
Browns Can Drive Up Hunt’s Trade Value by Creating Bidding War
Getty ImagesRunning back Kareem Hunt of the Cleveland Browns is on the trade block.
What the Browns can get for Hunt remains to be seen, but his trade value has likely improved significantly since the beginning of the season.
Running backs don’t tend to command substantial draft capital in trades, especially when playing on the final year of their contracts. Hunt will be a free agent next summer, but his value is boosted by the extra dimension he can offer a contender like the Bills right now.
Robinson went for a sixth-round pick, which becomes a fifth-rounder if he hits certain statistical benchmarks over the rest of the season. Hunt has put up similar rushing numbers to Robinson this year with three rushing touchdowns and an average of four yards per carry, despite a reduction in workload playing behind Chubb. Hunt also holds the distinction of a more proven dual-threat back who happened to lead the NFL in rushing during his rookie campaign.
If the Browns can create bidding war for Hunt’s services, it’s not impossible that they could drive his value up into the range of a Day 2 draft pick.
For context, Cleveland selected cornerback Martin Emerson, defensive end Alex Wright, wide receiver David Bell and kicker Cade York in the third and fourth rounds of the 2022 draft — all of whom have played significant roles in their rookie seasons. The Browns also selected defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey in the fourth round this year.