Getty Former Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt.
As the Las Vegas Raiders wait for running back Josh Jacobs to sign his franchise tag tender and return to the team, they need to prepare for the possibility that he doesn’t come back. 2022 fourth-round pick Zamir White is in line to start if Jacobs doesn’t come back, but he only had 17 carries for 70 yards last season so he’s still an unknown.
If the Raiders want to bring in a veteran who can share the workload, Kareem Hunt could be a good fit, according to Bleacher Report. Kristopher Knox floated the possibility.
“With little proven running talent in the backfield, it would behoove the Raiders to add a veteran to complement the likes of Ameer Abdullah, Zamir White. Brittain Brown and Brandon Bolden,” Knox wrote in an August 7 column.
“Kareem Hunt, who has spent the last three seasons spelling Nick Chubb with the Cleveland Browns, could be the perfect addition. He may not longer be a high-level starter, but Hunt is still a capable dual-threat who could handle the different assignments required of backs in McDaniels’ offense.”
Raiders fans will be very familiar with Hunt due to his two-year stretch with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2017 to 2018. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards. He has spent the last four seasons with the Cleveland Browns but it appears he’s going to play elsewhere this season.
Kareem Hunt Visiting With Teams
If the Raiders like the idea of adding Kareem Hunt, they may need to act quickly. The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints are two other teams dealing with running back issues. Jonathan Taylor has requested a trade and is out with injury while Alvin Kamara will be suspended for the first three games of the 2023 season.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Hunt met with the Saints on August 8 and is meeting with the Colts on August 9.
From Inside Training Camp: Kareem Hunt is visiting the #Colts today.
It’s very feasible that Hunt won’t leave Indianapolis without a contract. However, he could decide to hold out longer to see if he can get a better deal. If Hunt lands a deal, there will be other running back options available in free agency to the Raiders. Big names like Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott remain unsigned.
Josh McDaniels Praises Zamir White
The Raiders may not feel that they need to add another running back thanks to Zamir White. The 23-year-old former Georgia standout has impressed head coach Josh McDaniels early in training camp.
“He’s putting in a lot of time and effort into being a complete player, not just a guy that has the ball and can do something with it,” McDaniels said during his August 2 media availability. “He wants to be good at blitz pickup, he wants to improve in the passing game and all those things that are a part of a running back’s progression. He’s really working hard.”
White is likely to see some snaps in the preseason. If he looks good, that will help his chances of being Josh Jacobs’ replacement if the Pro Bowler doesn’t return. Going with White would save the Raiders a lot of money. The franchise tag guarantees Jacobs $10.1 million for the 2023 season while White only has a $1 million cap hit this year.
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Former Chiefs Rushing Leader Floated as Josh Jacobs Replacement for Raiders