Getty Images Kareem Hunt of the Cleveland Browns and Nick Chubb.
Don’t expect to see Kareem Hunt in a Cleveland Browns jersey next season after a rough, drama-filled fourth year with the team.
Hunt landed in Cleveland in 2019, with the Browns taking a shot on the former rushing leader after he was cut by the Chiefs following video emerging of him in an altercation with a woman at a Cleveland hotel in February of 2018.
Hunt and Nick Chubb were expected to form the best 1-2 punch in the league, and while they’ve certainly had their moments as a ground-and-pound force, that idea has faded this season. Hunt has become a distant second option behind Chubb, averaging just under six carries a game over the past seven games.
Hunt’s per carry average of 3.9 yards is a career-low and he hasn’t been able to provide the spark plays he once did for the Browns’ offense. He’s in the final year of his contract with the Browns and cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto feels strongly that Hunt will be returning next season.
Here’s what Pluto had to say about Hunt in his latest Q&A column:
Hunt won’t be back in 2023. The Browns like Jerome Ford, and he’s on a reasonable rookie contract. He’ll back up Nick Chubb. It will always be a sore spot with many fans when it comes to the lack of carries for Hunt. This is the worst year of Hunt’s career. He’s averaging 3.9 yards per carry. He still runs hard, but doesn’t seem to break tackles or show the same speed as he had in the past.
Hunt Expressed Pessimism About Return to Browns
Hunt is a Cleveland native and has noted that he’d like to stay with the franchise as long as possible. However, this season has swayed his views and he doesn’t sound eager to return to the Browns on a new deal.
“Possibly they could figure out something, I guess,” Hunt told cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot on December 21. “I don’t know.”
Prior to the season, Hunt asked for a trade, which appeared part of a negotiation tactic to get an extension. The Browns swiftly turned it down and also declined to deal him at the trade deadline. If he does stay, Hunt would likely have to take a hometown discount, considering some hefty contracts on the books for next season. But does he want to return?
“I wouldn’t mind,” he said. “I’ve got all of my friends and close brothers on this team, so we’ll see what the future holds.”
In all, Hunt has 117 carries for 455 yards this season. He’s also caught 31 balls for 196 yards and has four total touchdowns.
Rushing Title Still in Sight for Nick Chubb
While things have gone south with Hunt, Chubb continues to be the steadying force for the Browns. Chubb currently sits at No. 3 among NFL rushing leaders with 1,344 yards. He’s behind Titans running back Derrick Henry, who did not play this week, and Raiders back Josh Jacobs, who has collected 1,539 yards on the ground this season.
The Browns have always defaulted to a team-first focus under head coach Kevin Stefanski but the Cleveland skipper thinks it would be good for the whole team if Chubb was somehow able to pull off the upset in the final two weeks.
“Obviously, it is an individual achievement, but it does fall into the framework of the team,” Stefanski said. “If that is something that were to happen, I think it would be great for Nick, but it is great for the offense, great for the offensive line and all of those guys sharing individual achievements.”
The Browns take on the Washington Commanders this week and will wrap the season up with a matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.