Getty Members of the Cleveland Browns warm up prior to the start of a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at FirstEnergy Stadium on August 21, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Trade rumors have been swirling furiously around the Cleveland Browns over the last week, though one of the most prominent has begun to lose steam.
Browns running backs Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson have been the subjects of much of the trade talk involving the franchise, though insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported Saturday that the former is most likely off the table.
“At this point, it appears unlikely that Hunt will be traded, but that could change over the weekend if a team loses its workhorse back,” Cabot wrote. “The Browns might also be more willing to deal him if they lose the game and fall to 2-6, making it unlikely they’ll make the playoffs. One possible destination dried up this week when the [New York] Jets traded for [Jacksonville] Jaguars running back James Robinson.”
Other possible destinations include the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles — the respective leaders of each the AFC and NFC, and both of which are reportedly interested in upgrading at running back. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported last week that the going rate for Hunt is a fourth-round pick.
Browns Running Back Kareem Hunt Breaks Silence on Trade Rumors
Getty ImagesRunning back Kareem Hunt of the Cleveland Browns spoke to rumors that he might be traded.
Also on Saturday, Hunt finally spoke out about the trade rumors that have surrounded him over the last several days.
“I don’t look at that stuff. I don’t listen to any of that stuff. If it happens it happens. I’ll be ready,” Hunt said. “I don’t talk to [the front office] about that stuff, man. I just show up to work. Work for my boys, show up, chop it up with the guys. Push them.”
Hunt requested a trade out of Cleveland in early August if the franchise failed to honor his demand for a new contract. He will earn $6.25 million this season on the final year of his contract.
The team denied Hunt both requests and started the season with arguably the NFL’s best backfield one-two punch behind Hunt and first-string RB Nick Chubb.
However, Hunt has seen his role substantially reduced over the previous two weeks. After logging double-digit carries in each of the first five games, Hunt has run the ball just nine times in the last two contests combined. The back received 16 targets in the passing game through the first five games, while he has been thrown to just three times over the last two weeks.
The reduced workload could indicate the Browns’ intent to keep the RB healthy ahead of a trade. Hunt was also asked Saturday whether he thought his lack of usage was connected to his trade’s request prior to the season’s start.
“I don’t know if it’s been or not,” Hunt said. “I play football, man. I love the game.”
“It ain’t easy but I’m a person who can put his pride to the side and just continue to go out there and do my job,” Hunt continued. “I love the game of football and I enjoy it every time I touch the field.”
Browns More Likely to Trade Johnson if Hunt Remains on Roster
Getty ImagesRunning back D’Ernest Johnson of the Cleveland Browns.
The higher the likelihood that Hunt remains in Cleveland, the greater the chance the Browns deal Johnson.
The former third-string running back is earning just over $1 million this season, making his contract easy to trade. His projected value in a deal is likely a late-round pick, which the Browns could use next season more than they’ve utilized Johnson this season.
After a strong 2021 campaign, in which Johnson started two games and gained more than 670 total yards from scrimmage, the RB has played only 10 offensive snaps through seven games and hasn’t logged a carry.
One candidate for taking a flier on Johnson is the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams (3-3), who have struggled to muster a running game in the defense of their title. Should the Browns trade Johnson, fifth-round rookie Jerome Ford will reassume third-string duties once he returns from IR, after taking Johnson’s job before the season began.